Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleged a “smear campaign” against his government (archive)
Thiruvananthapuram:
Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, has written to the Chief Elections Commissioner, alleging that the Model Code of Conduct is being “torpedoed at the behest of some Union Ministers.” Mr. Vijayan requested the intervention of the CEC to guarantee “free and fair elections.”
Kerala will vote in the Assembly elections on April 6.
The letter comes after the Enforcement Directorate filed a case against the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), a key state body for financing infrastructure and development-related projects, for alleged violations of the Kerala Law on Currency Management (FEMA).
Apart from the letter, Mr. Vijayan tweeted: “Despite the MCC being in place, the Enforcement Directorate of the Ministry of Finance is being misused for politically motivated media propaganda after the election rally (Finance Minister of the Union) Nirmala Sitharaman who attacked the KIIFB “.
“The Election Commission of India must step in, ensure that the MCC is maintained and that the elections in Kerala are free and fair,” he added.
Even though MCC is in effect, @dir_ed below @FinMinIndia, is improperly used for politically motivated media propaganda, subsequent @nsitharamanElection rally speech attacking the KIIFB. @ECISVEEP it must step in, make sure that MCC is upheld and Kerala’s elections are free and fair.
– Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) March 3, 2021
In his letter, the Chief Minister said that the Masala bond issue was neither recent nor urgent.
It alleged that “the authority conferred on the investigating agencies is being appropriated for electoral gains … The objective is to create a smear campaign against officials and the state government.”
The main opposition, the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by Congress and the BJP, have accused the CPM-led state government of corruption.
“The case of the Directorate of Execution is also preceded by a CAG report that found alleged irregularities with the KIIFB. This has nothing to do with the current elections. The agency is investigating alleged violations by the state government,” PK said. Krishna Das, a member of the National Executive of the BJP, said.
The party has a legislator in the state.
The opposition, including Congress, has alleged that the Masala bonds issued by the KIIFB exceeded the jurisdiction of the state government.
“We have been questioning the financial prudence and legality of issuing Masala bonds as of 2019. The Directorate of Enforcement has also issued a notice to senior officials,” alleged Mathew Kuzhalnadan, Secretary General of the KPCC.
“Now the left, as well as the finance minister, argue that the center is attacking or trying to intervene in the state’s development strategy. This is ridiculous,” he added.
Finance Minister Thomas Isaac has maintained that the Masala bonds were issued in accordance with RBI guidelines. “The center never opposed Masala bonds. And now it is using its investigative agency to harass,” Isaac said.
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