UDF, BJP attack Kerala govt over revelations

T’PURAM/THRISSUR: The opposition Congress party has intensified its attack on the Chief Minister and his office in light of the allegations levelled by LDF MLA PV Anvar. The Congress on Monday demanded the resignation of Pinarayi Vijayan and a CBI inquiry into the legislator’s allegations. The BJP also came down heavily on the state government and the CM.

Alleging that the CMO had become a “den of criminals”, Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan said Anvar’s allegations had brought shame on the state. “However, the CM is not ashamed to continue in power. Only a CBI inquiry will bring out the truth, not the inquiry ordered by the LDF government,” he said. Satheesan said the CMO had come under a cloud and Pinarayi had no right to continue in office. “A sitting MLA has made a serious allegation that gold smuggling and theft of the smuggled gold took place under the aegis of ADGP MR Ajith Kumar with the connivance of Sasi,” he said.

Congress state president K Sudhakaran also demanded a CBI inquiry and said the role of the CM and his office should also be probed. “The accused are influential. Therefore, the inquiry announced by the state government is unacceptable as it gives the accused a chance to escape. The allegations levelled by the ruling party MLA extend to the CM,” Sudhakaran said.

Terming the allegation that the phones of ministers, MPs and journalists were tapped as serious, Sudhakaran said, “On whose instructions did the ADGP tap the phones?”

CWC leader Ramesh Chennithala said the CM and his cabinet are in the clutches of the underworld.

Meanwhile, BJP state president K Surendran told reporters in Thrissur that Pinarayi did not deserve to remain in his post as his office had become a hub for anti-national activities. He also questioned the silence of the CM and CPM state secretary MV Govindan on the issue.

“The MLA alleged that a mafia network of smuggling, killing and drugs is operating in the state with the tacit support of the CMO. It is shocking to learn that an official in the rank of an ADGP has supported gold smuggling and citation gangs. It is absolutely unheard of that an ADGP and the political secretary of the CM conspired in anti-national activities,” Surendran said.