THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CM Pinarayi Vijayan had a verbal duel for a fleeting moment with Ramesh Chennithala and Opposition Leader V D Satheesan during the discussion on the adjournment motion notice on Shahbaz's murder and the increase in drug-related violence.
After Chennithala launched an unfettered attack against Pinarayi, addressing him as ‘Mister Chief Minister’ and accusing him of failing to initiate action against the drug racket in the last nine years of his rule, the CM was visibly irritated. The CM got up in a combative mood and said “Mister CM, Mister CM. Should I answer every question he is asking? He is asking what message is being given to youths. By saying these things what message he is giving to them. He should understand the reality,” CM said in an agitated tone. He added that unnecessary things were being raised in the garb of adjournment motion.
Moving the notice for the adjournment motion, Chennithala had earlier made a scathing attack on the CM and the state government. “Is Kerala becoming Colombia?” he asked. “While talking about drugs, people earlier used to mention about. Now Kerala has been enslaved by drugs. Mister CM, you ruled for 9 years. During that time, you could not take action against drugs. Mr CM, you always talk about Vimukthi. Vimukthi does not have coordinators in many districts and it has become a failed project,” he said. He also questioned the government’s brewery plans and criticized the CM for endorsing SFI violence.
As the CM intervened, Satheesan rose up in Chennithala’s defense and said the CM is answerable to the questions being in charge of Home Affairs. He added that the CM’s nod was not required to discuss the collapse of law and order for the past nine years.
Meanwhile, Ministers P Rajeeve and MB Rajesh rushed to support the CM. Rajeeve said UDF was trying to corner the government by raising unnecessary issues. Rajesh said Chennithala was trying to reap political dividends.