THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Both the Opposition UDF and BJP are trying to destabilise the government with political motives, alleged CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. Briefing the media on party secretariat decisions here, Kodiyeri said in spite of the government suspending IAS officer M Sivasankar, there’s a deliberate campaign by the Opposition parties to target the chief minister and his office.
In an apparent indiction that the BJP and the Muslim League are behind gold smuggling into the state, Kodiyeri said smuggled gold comes into Kerala in saffron and green colours, and not in red as alleged by BJP national president J P Nadda.“The Customs seized the gold sent as a diplomatic parcel to the UAE Attache. Following the probe, the Centre assigned the NIA for the probe, as it could be more effective. Now with the NIA probe, the dimension has changed, as it usually probes the terror and extremist links.
The current investigation should be fool-proof to find out for what purpose the gold is being used,” said Kodiyeri. Both the Left government and the CPM have nothing to hide, he added. Kodiyeri alleged the BJP is deliberately trying to drag the CMO into the case. “Soon after the smuggling issue came up, the BJP state president said the CMO is involved. But Customs had made it clear that no one from the CMO had called. In fact, it was a BMS leader who contacted them. The BJP tried to cover this up, by targeting the CMO,” he said.
Criticising attempts to compare the gold row with the solar scam, the CPM leader said it’s a baseless campaign against the government. Unlike the solar scam where the victim named the then CM and other ministers, here neither the CM nor the CMO has any role in the case. He alleged that the Opposition parties were only looking to derail the probe.
‘No need to change CM’s secretary’
As of now there’s no need to change the chief minister’s secretary, said Kodiyeri. Responding to questions regarding bringing back CPM state committee member M V Jayarajan as CM’s secretary, Kodiyeri said the party has not taken any such decision.