KOCHI: Alleging that the Opposition parties have facilitated the hampering of development projects in Kerala by central investigation agencies, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said there are no legal hurdles for a judicial probe against the agencies.
“There was a complaint that certain officers of the central agency pressurised the accused more than once to give a wrong statement. The judicial investigation is not against central agencies. There were some moves against the federal structure and Constitutional provisions. As it posed some serious legal issues, the government decided to conduct a judicial probe. The government had sought legal opinion before ordering the probe,” he told mediapersons in Kochi on Saturday.
Pinarayi said the KIIFB has given an impetus to Kerala’s development and the Opposition was supporting the Centre’s move to hamper progress. A team of officers went to the KIIFB and questioned the officers till midnight, he said, adding that the central agencies are intruding into the jurisdiction of the state.
Repeating his charge of a Congress-UDF- BJP agreement to defeat the LDF, Pinarayi said the Opposition has resolved to oppose projects like KIIFB that are beneficial to the state and the public. He demanded an apology from the Opposition leader for his letter to the Election Commission demanding a halt to the distribution of food kits, welfare pension and food grains till the elections are over.
“He is humiliating the people by alleging that the voters can be influenced by distributing food kits. The people will be casting their votes considering the functioning of the government during the past five years,” said Pinarayi.
Rejecting the Opposition leader’s demand for a judicial probe into the deep sea fishing deal between the government and American firm EMCC, he said the additional chief secretary of the water resources department is conducting an inquiry into the incident. “Any further action can be taken after receiving the inquiry report,” he said.
Responding to the allegations of multiple entries in the voters’ list, Pinarayi said it is the UDF that resorts to such activities. The Election Commission should conduct a probe into the allegation. He said UDF MLAs, candidates and relatives including the Opposition leader’s mother have got multiple votes in different constituencies.