The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : CPI(M) soft-pedalling on controversial issues: BJP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 24, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

CPI(M) soft-pedalling on controversial issues: BJP

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, NOV. 23. The BJP State president, P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, has alleged that the CPI(M) is having secret understanding with some UDF constituents, especially the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), on sensational cases, including the Kozhikode ice-cream parlour sex scandal case and the Vigilance inquiry into the irregularities in awarding contracts for the repair works of Chenkulam and Pallivasal power projects.

Talking to presspersons today, Mr. Pillai alleged that the CPI(M) was soft-pedalling on the controversial issues in which the Industries Minister, P.K. Kunhalikutty, was involved. Though the CPI(M) State committee had decided on November 10 to launch an agitation demanding Mr. Kunhalikutty's ouster from the Cabinet, the party failed to organise any agitation worth mentioning, he said.

Government criticised

He criticised the UDF Government for keeping in cold storage a Cabinet decision to probe the irregularities in awarding contracts for the repair works of Chenkulam and Pallivasal power projects during the previous LDF Government. The UDF and the LDF were supporting each other for covering up all sensitive cases, he said.

Mr. Pillai urged the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, and the Leader of the Opposition, V.S. Achuthanandan, to end the "hide-and-seek'' game and come out in the open on the `VIP' involved in the Kiliroor sex scandal.

He alleged that there were attempts to protect Mr. Kunhalikutty by filing weak cases in the court. Once the court dismisses the petition, the verdict would help Mr. Kunhalikutty to continue in the Cabinet, he said.

BJP plans stir

The BJP would organise a series of agitations against the increasing sex rackets and hawala transactions and for the ouster of Mr. Kunhalikutty from the Cabinet, He said the party would organise conventions in Kozhikode on December 27, in Ernakulam on December 28 and in Kollam on December 29 raising these demands. O. Rajagopal, former Union Minister, will take out a vehicle rally from Manjeswaram on December 3, which will conclude at Thiruvananthapuram on December 16. The Bharatiya Mahila Morcha will organise a 24-hour fast on December 8 in front of the Secretariat. Collectorate marchers will also be held on December 21, he said.

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