THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Enforcement Directorate not asking Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi to appear for questioning in the National Herald money laundering case on Wednesday, the protest plan of 21 Congress MLA who were flown to Delhi on Tuesday got aborted. The free day in Delhi, however, turned out to be a perfect occasion for the Kerala leaders to press for a cause that affects thousands of people in the high range areas of the state.
Along with Congress MPs from the state, the MLAs met Union Forest Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey and requested him to take a more people-centric approach towards determining buffer zone of eco-sensitive areas. Led by Kasaragod MP Rajmohan Unnithan, they shared apprehension about the Supreme Court verdict that wildlife sanctuaries and national parks should have a one-km buffer zone around them.
The Union minister reiterated that he would seriously consider the plea. It should be recalled that the Union minister was in the state last week when the stakeholders raised the buffer zone issue. The legislators in the delegation included A P Anil Kumar, Sunny Joseph, Sajeev Joseph, T Siddique, I C Balakrishnan, Roji M John, T J Saneesh Kumar Joseph and Mathew Kuzhalnadan who represent constituencies where buffer zone issue is a burning controversy.
Senior Congress MP K Muraleedharan told TNIE that Rahul Gandhi was moved by the solidarity extended by the leaders from across the country including from Kerala. “Rahul Gandhi has been very cool and maintained that his strength lies in the support being extended to him by the people and party workers. This led him to meet the leaders from each state separately and thank them for the solidarity,” said Muraleedharan. As the ED is yet to take a decision on interrogating Sonia Gandhi, the legislators from Kerala are expected to return on Thursday. They will have to attend the budget discussion session of the assembly beginning on June 27.