THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following Janam TV coordinating editor Anil Nambiar's involvement in the gold smuggling case, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the CPM and the BJP are hand in glove in the gold smuggling case.
The intervention of the television journalist is proof of this, he said. It is now clear that the BJP leadership was already aware of the case, he added. Talking to reporters at Cantonment House here on Saturday, Chennithala said the BJP leadership has come under a cloud of smoke and the outcome of the gold smuggling probe is doubtful.
Regarding law minister A K Balan warning the Opposition and the media of legal action against fake charges, Chennithala urged him to withdraw his controversial statement and apologize.
He claimed that there is a concerted attempt to gag those criticizing the Chief Minister and said this will not be tolerated. Unfortunately, the media is also being threatened and Chennithala demanded to know whether this was the status when the LDF was in Opposition.
"The UDF will fight tooth and nail the suppression being unleashed by the LDF government. During this Onam season, the state government has taken out advertisements of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board's (KIIFB) historical achievements worth several crores to appease the media. In fact, KIIFB is a den of corrupt practices", said Chennithala.
The Opposition leader also cast aspersions against the chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC). Chennithala was reacting to the PSC chairman M K Sakeer threatening job applicants with dire consequences if they criticized the commission. He urged him to withdraw his statement as a stage has come where he is acting like a judge.
Chennithala also took a jibe at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan claiming in his no-confidence reply speech that the Muzhappilangad-Mahe bypass project is the state’s achievement. Within two days, the LDF government disowned it when the beams of a bridge under construction at Nettoor near Thalassery collapsed, he said.