Siege counter: Two-day holiday for Secretariat

The government decision is aimed at taking the sting out of the LDF’s unprecedented siege of the state Secretariat which began on 12 of August.
Siege counter: Two-day holiday for Secretariat

The state government, in a clever move, declared a two-day holiday for the state Secretariat on Tuesday and Wednesday on the premise that the Independence Day parade rehearsal at the Central Stadium, adjacent to the Secretariat, will be affected otherwise.

As the LDF began its unprecedented siege of the Secretariat on Monday, the government decision is aimed at taking the sting out of the agitation. There are also moves by the UDF to open a dialogue with the Opposition through some ‘friendly’ leaders.

The ‘holiday’ decision was taken at a hurriedly-convened meeting at the Cliff House of the UDF leaders, though some of them feared that it will be viewed as total surrender by the government and making the Opposition stir a huge success.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy,while briefing mediapersons after the meet, said if the Independence Day parade is not conducted on a grand note,it will be a shame for the entire state. “Though we had urged the Opposition Leader through a formal written request to facilitate training for the parade, NCC cadets were prevented to undergo training today. So,it has been decided to provide two days’ leave for the state Secretariat,” he said.

Chandy reiterated that the government is open for discussions for any other probe once the police inquiry and chargesheeting of the accused are complete. “The government has an open mind in this regard,” he added. AG’s Court Appearance The Chief Minister also flayed the Opposition for levelling false allegations that the Advocate-General had appeared in the court to represent his former tainted gunman Salim Raj. “In fact, the A-G had appeared for the Director General of Police and the Vigilance Director,” Chandy said.

“The Opposition is trying to create a smokescreen in the matter. Pinarayi Vijayan and others very well know that the AG cannot appear on behalf of a private person,” he pointed out. KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, UDF convener P P Thankachan, Ministers P K Kunjalikutty and K M Mani and KC(B) leader R Balakrishna Pilai and CMP leader K R Aravindakshan attended the meet.

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