THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The UDF staged an innovative online protest #SpeakUpKerala, seeking resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of unprecedented corruption and nepotism in the LDF government, CMO’s involvement in gold smuggling case, PSC rank list issue, backdoor appointments of CPM cadre in government offices and sought a CBI enquiry into the state of affairs. UDF leaders comprising MPs and MLAs held satyagraha from 9 am to 1 pm in their offices/homes ensuring health safety protocols.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala led the satyagraha from his official residence, Cantonment House. AICC general secretary in charge of the state Mukul Wasnik inaugurated the satyagraha by joining online from Delhi. He said Kerala is facing an unprecedented crisis as the state government is using Covid-19 pandemic as a smoke screen to indulge in corruption and nepotism.
“Investigations in the gold smuggling case are pointing fingers at the CMO and a top official who was heading the CMO has been grilled by sleuths. This is a very serious matter that affects national security. We will force him to resign and face investigation,” said Wasnik.
Chennithala said only a CBI investigation into the corruption and malpractices in the government can bring out the truth. Flaying backdoor appointments in various government departments and public sector companies, Chennithala said it is deplorable that the government is on a backdoor appointment spree when rank lists prepared by Kerala PSC are getting expired.
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said the government has become a liability to the state and the public, especially the youth who are very frustrated. Former CM Oommen Chandy, who participated in the protest from his home in Puthuppally, said the volley of corruption charges raised by the Opposition leader against the government are proving to be true.