The Hindu : Kerala News : Kerala Forest Minister resigns

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Thursday, Feb 10, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Kerala Forest Minister resigns

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, FEB. 9. The Kerala Forest Minister, K.P. Viswanathan, today resigned from the State Cabinet following the remarks passed by the High Court suggesting that he had links with sandalwood mafia.

Announcing his decision to step down, Mr. Viswanathan said in the Assembly that the court had done him "injustice" by passing such remarks without giving him an opportunity to be heard. "It is the unkindest cut of all," he said.

"The reports appearing in today's newspapers have created a smokescreen [of doubt against me]. I have not deviated from the path of truth, but I have to convince the people also about it," he said, explaining why he had chosen to resign from the Congress-led United Democratic Front Government.

Adjournment notice

His announcement came when he was responding to a notice for an adjournment motion sought to be moved by Mathai Chacko and four others belonging to the Opposition Left Democratic Front citing the remarks made on Tuesday by Justice K. Padmanabhan Nair of the High Court.

While rejecting a plea for anticipatory bail filed by the accused in a case involving a Palakkad-based sandal oil extraction unit, the judge had remarked that the points mentioned in the plea, "if accepted," would establish the "nexus between the sandalwood mafia and politicians." He had gone on to observe that the averments contained in the plea further showed that "the accused have direct access to the Minister and they are capable of getting any orders from the Government for the asking."

Chandy's stance

The Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, who responded to the notice for adjournment motion earlier, defended Mr. Viswanathan.

Mr. Chandy noted that the court had actually made the remark based on the arguments contained in the bail application filed by the accused in the case. The court had also specifically stated that its observations about the `nexus' became valid only if the points mentioned in the bail application were to be "accepted."

"I do not know whether it was proper on the part of the court to make such remarks without giving Mr. Viswanathan a chance to be heard. We are moving the Supreme Court to have these remarks expunged," Mr. Chandy said.

He said the court's observations were based on false premises.

The accused had mentioned in their bail application that they had sent a telegram to the Forest Minister bringing his attention to the ``illegal and irregular'' raid conducted on their establishment by some forest officials, following which the Minister had ordered a Vigilance inquiry against the officials.

"No such inquiry was ordered by the Minister. No action was taken on the telegram," Mr. Chandy said.

The Leader of the Opposition, V. S. Achuthanandan, while welcoming Mr. Viswanathan's decision to resign, said he would not accept the contention of the Government that the Minister had not ordered a Vigilance inquiry against the officials who had tried to do their duty.

He said he had plenty of material to show how the Government had tried to harass the honest officials at the instance of the sandalwood mafia.

The Speaker, Therambil Ramakrishnan, however, told Mr. Achuthanandan not to go into the merits of the case for the time being, since the Minister had offered his resignation following the adjournment motion.

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