Caught in a bind, the Kerala CPI (M) strategy is now “attack is the best defense” and, after attacking national investigative agencies, it is the CAG that raged on Sunday. The Minister of Finance of the State, Thomas Issac, was hammer and pliers against the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The CPI-M in order to take the battle against the various central agencies, has decided to organize a statewide protest on Monday. About 2.5 million party supporters are expected to gather across the state to warn the Center, not to settle political scores using agencies.
The chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, has already spoken out against the various investigative agencies involved in unraveling scams in the southern state and attacked them claiming they were engaging in a political vendetta, unleashed by the BJP, which is at the Center.
Since July 5, when the gold smuggling scam emerged and irregularity also emerged in Vijayan’s pet project: Life Mission, the NIA, Customs, CBI, ED and Income Tax have been working overtime in Kerala and they have left the CPI-M and Vijayan. Red face.
Then came the unexpected turn of events, when Bineesh Kodiyeri, the son of CPI-M Secretary of State Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, was detained by the ED’s Bengaluru unit after his ties to Anoop Mohammed emerged, who was arrested for the Office of Narcotics Control.
By the way, the double blow came for Vijayan and the CPI-M, since on October 29, both M.Sivasankar- Vijayan’s secretary and Bineesh were arrested by the ED.
While Sivasankar was arrested by Kochi’s unit for his alleged links in the gold smuggling case, after it came to light that he and lead defendant Swapna Suresh were friends and partners in ‘crime’, the arrest of Bineesh was conducted by the Bengaluru unit.
Both are currently in jail, one in Kochi and the other in Bengaluru.
Just as Life Mission (project to build homes for the homeless) is Vijayan’s favorite project, KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board) is one that stirs up emotions and passions in Issac. KIIFB is a government-owned financial institution formed to mobilize funds for infrastructure development from outside state revenue, and numerous projects receive funding from KIIFB.
On Sunday, Issac launched fire on the CAG, after he himself released to the media that the preliminary report of the CAG audit report on KIIFB does not bode well and is a blatant attack by the Center on the state.
The draft report is understood to have pointed to lapses in the way the KIIFB conducted itself and Issac reportedly informed his party about it and the party gave its go-ahead to take on the CAG.
“It is an unprecedented act of the CAG and it seems that it is destined to spoil the development of Kerala. It is true that it is a constitutional body, but they have to realize that and therefore we will not take things as usual.” Issac said.
But BJP state chair K.Surendran said this is all a tactic of the CPI-M as they are caught up in big scams.
“The gold smuggling gang has also been involved in KIIFB projects as well and Issac and Swapna Suresh have a good relationship and Issac will get in trouble because of this. Issac is launching a barrage against the CAG because they have brought up mistakes you’ve had took place at KIIFB. Just wait and see how things unfold, as the Emergency Department has to investigate KIIFB as well, “Surendran said.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said: “Issac has violated basic principles of the law as to how a minister can disclose the content of a CAG report, as it becomes a public document only when it is presented before the assembly.
“Issac thinks he can distract everyone’s attention from the gold smuggling and other cases. Balakrishnan has already resigned and now it is Vijayan’s turn to resign. Issac is just trying to take things away from the other scams and has taken on the CAG. “
The congressional-led opposition is contemplating confronting Issac over his disclosure on the draft CAG report, reaching out to the president and governor of Kerala.
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