Kozhikode: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala has said that the public announcement of State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Saturday that the Kerala Government would bring in legislation to curb criminal activities was improper and amounted to breach of privilege as the statement had been made while the Assembly was in session.

Disrespect

Addressing a news conference here on Sunday, Mr. Chennithala said the public announcement of the Home Minister was tantamount to showing disrespect to the Legislature and its members. When Oommen Chandy was the Chief Minister, the United Democratic Front had promulgated an ordinance to curb the activities of criminals in the State.

But the Left Democratic Front (LDF) instead of reissuing the ordinance made it to lapse, he said.

Neyyar water

He said the decision of the LDF Government to release water to Tamil Nadu from the Neyyar dam also amounted to gross violation of the section 30 of the Dam Safety Authority.

Before taking a decision, the Government should have first taken the Assembly into confidence.

The new statute did not state how much water was to be given to Tamil Nadu and for how long.

Such a hasty decision looked mysterious considering the statements of the LDF constituents such as the Janata Dal (Secular).

Its leadership had said that the issue had not been discussed within the LDF.

A subject like this should also have been discussed with other political parties, Mr. Chennithala said.

`Infringement'

The Congress was not against giving water to Tamil Nadu, but the decision should not infringe upon the rights of the State.

All water agreements reached with Tamil Nadu had in fact proved detrimental to the interests of the State, he said.

Mr. Chennithala said all inter-State water pacts should be reviewed and the disputes brought under a package.

Already the State was witnessing disputes with Tamil Nadu on Mullaperiyar, Parambikulam-Aliyar, Pandiyar and Kaveri river projects.

`Mullaperiyar neglected'

He also accused the LDF Government of neglecting the Mullaperiyar issue.

The affidavit filed by the State before the Supreme Court was factually incorrect, he said.

Price rise

The KPCC president said the increase in prices of essential commodities in the range from 30 to 60 per cent at Maveli stores had resulted in the skyrocketing of prices in the open market.

The Congress would launch agitations in all grama panchayts on October 27, Mr. Chennithala said.

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