Congress sharpens attack on govt over Sprinklr row

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking off from where they it had left off, the main Opposition Congress on Friday trained guns on the government over the Sprinklr row, with Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy demanding further clarifications on the deal with the US-based firm. Chennithala told reporters at his official Cantonment House residence here that the LDF government had been duping the public on the Sprinklr issue even as he reiterated the demand for a comprehensive probe into the deal.

“Whatever I had said on the Sprinklr deal was revealed after looking into the issue. Let the chief minister reveal any falsehood disclosed by me. Now, with more information coming out, it has become a major talking point,” said Chennithala.

Also on Friday, Chandy, during a presser at the KPCC headquarters Indira Bhavan here, demanded clarifications from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the agreement signed with Sprinklr. According to him,  Pinarayi’s response to the questions raised on the issue has been far from convincing and it aroused suspicion. 

Chandy pointed out that when an agreement is being entered into with a foreign company, it has to be within the privy of the finance and law departments. But this is hardly the case here, with neither department having been kept in the loop.“The agreement between the LDF Government and Sprinkler was not approved by the Centre or the cabinet either. The Sprinklr controversy reeks of corruption and mystery. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should come out with the necessary clarifications,” he said.

Moreover, Chandy alleged that when Chennithala had initially raised the issue on April 10, there was no government file on the agreement. But the following day, the file pertaining to the deal appeared all of a sudden which indicated the bogus nature of the deal. Chandy claimed that Sprinklr  had since removed the agreement from its website which has only led to further suspicion among the public.

Additionally, KPCC chief  Mullappally Ramachandran on Friday claimed that Pinarayi decided to call off his daily media briefing so as to avoid  queries on Sprinklrr deal which revealed his timid nature. This  despite Pinarayi’s oft-repeated claim of being a brave heart. “Documents pertaining to the deal on Sprinklr were created after the media brought the issue into the public domain. The raging controversy is just the tip of the iceberg. Further clarifications should come out and Pinarayi is now  trying to taint certain leaders,” said Mullappally.

‘Pinarayi’s response suspicious’
AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy, during a presser at the KPCC headquarters Indira Bhavan here, demanded clarifications from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the agreement signed with Sprinklr. According to him,  Pinarayi’s response to the questions raised on the issue has been far from convincing and it aroused suspicion.