THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Speaker of the Assembly has tried to topple the investigation into the Life Mission scam by using the Privileges and Ethics Committee of the assembly, said Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala. Speaker has clearly taken the side of the government by advancing the Privileges and Ethics committee meeting without taking note of the opinion of the Opposition. Chennithala also wrote to the Speaker expression protest in the Speaker's action.
Even nine months after KC Joseph filed a petition against Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, the committee is yet to consider the petition, he said. There have also been a concerted attempt to sabotage the investigation by the central agencies in various cases in the state, he accused while saying that the investigation by the central agencies is in the right direction.
Earlier, the Privileges and Ethics Committee has issued notice to Enforcement Directorate officials while acting on a complaint filed by the James Mathew MLA. The MLA has stated that the allegations were levelled against only the Life Mission housing project in Vadakkancherry in Thrissur. However, the intervention of ED sleuths including summoning the chief of the project and collecting the details of all the Life Mission projects in the state has literally stalled the project.
This would also delay the project and the assurance was given by chief minister and other ministers to the assembly that the project would be completed in a time-bound manner and handed over to the beneficiaries cannot be met if things go like that. This would amount to a breach of the assurance given to the assembly, he said. Based on the petition, the Committee issued a notice seeking an explanation from ED sleuths in seven days and the committee can summon the officials if the explanation is not satisfactory.