The Hindu : Kerala News : Make original reply public, Antony tells JD(S) MLA

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 02, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Make original reply public, Antony tells JD(S) MLA

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA, MAY 1. The Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, has urged the Janata Dal (Secular) MLA, K.P. Mohanan, to publish the original reply given to him in the Assembly. This, Mr. Antony said, clearly made a mention about the tabling of the Advocate General's report on ordering a CBI probe into the Marad incidents.

The Chief Minister was reacting to the reported statement of the deputy leader of the CPI(M) Legislature Party, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, that he would move the Assembly Committee on Privileges against the Chief Minister for ``misleading the House on the true nature of the Marad accord.''

He said Mr. Mohanan knew well the ``reality behind the baseless charges'' being levelled against him (Mr. Antony). The truth is there in the first page itself of the reply given to Mr. Mohanan and the controversy would cease to exist once the CPI(M) shows the political decency to publish it and apologise to the people for Mr Kodiyeri's ``misleading'' statements.

Mr. Antony said it was ironical that the CPI(M) which had destroyed a computer as part of its blind tirade against mechanisation and modernisation 20 years ago, had now computerised its party headquarters. This is a testimony to its follies. Similarly, Mr. Kodiyeri too would admit his ``fault'' once the Lok Sabha elections are over on May 10.

Mr. Antony said the ideology of the CPI(M) had lost its relevance in the State. When pressmen pointed out that the senior Congress leader, K. Karunakaran, was of the opinion that the CPI(M) had got much relevance in the Indian context, Mr. Antony said it might be his personal opinion.

Mr. Antony said that ``unity in the Congress is a reality now'' and any attempts to make him and Mr. Karunakaran at loggerheads would not work.

The Chief Minister said the use of `forged' posters showing him with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, Praveen Togadia, in the Ernakulam byelection was with the knowledge of the CPI(M) State secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan. It is up to Mr. Vijayan to explain why he allowed party cadres to use it knowing very well that it was a forged one.

On the reported stance of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) that the general elections would also be treated as a referendum on the performance of the UDF Government, Mr. Antony said the performance of the State Government would also be discussed during the election campaign. But national issues like protection of the secular and democratic credentials of the country are the main themes before the electorate in the Lok Sabha polls.

Mr. Antony said the BJP had no role to play in the general elections in Kerala, adding that it was not going to open its account in the State this time too.

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