THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has given a strongly-worded reply to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s letter seeking clarity on his remarks on the alleged “anti-national activities” in the state.
The governor and the chief minister have been engaged in a bitter war of words following the latter’s alleged remarks on gold smuggling and its proceeds being used for unlawful activities.
In his letter, the chief minister said he has not made any mention about any “anti-national activities” happening in the state, either in his interview to a national daily or at a press briefing.
“Such misconceived versions, bereft of any authenticity, repeatedly being made in public, in one form or another, is a part of a sustained vilification campaign to malign the state and its residents,” the chief minister wrote.
Pinarayi told Khan that nothing more needs to be attributed to his view that gold smuggling is a crime against the nation.
“I had mentioned that gold smuggling is a crime against the nation based on two aspects: it jeopardises the economy of the country through illicit currency flows and deprives the Union and the state of its legitimate tax revenue,” he said.
The chief minister took strong exception to Khan’s remarks that he had “something to hide” on the gold smuggling remarks. “Let me be permitted to place my strong protest and disagreement on the insinuations and remarks which are an intentional personal attack on me. There is nothing to hide from the Government’s side. I am now compelled to infer that there is, in fact, definitely something hidden behind this deliberate personal insult,” he said.
Reminding the governor that preventive action against gold smuggling is exclusively in the domain of the Union government, Pinarayi said the state police has taken prompt action in many cases where gold and cash have been found under suspicious circumstances and the statistics were placed on the official website of the police, with the press too briefed regarding the figures.
“I have stated nothing more and nothing less. Now, the same is being misconceived, probably purposefully, in a manner never intended by me,” he added.
Pinarayi denied the governor’s charge that he was not being briefed regularly by the government.
“Whenever, Honorable Governor required a briefing on the bills passed by the Legislative Assembly, the Ministers along with officials have visited your goodself and answered the queries,” he said.
Pinarayi also took exception to the governor summoning the chief secretary and the state police chief for clarity on remarks attributed wrongly to him. “When I have clarified that I have not made such a statement and the daily which published it has accepted the error, there is no point in trying to find untenable reasons to give unwarranted twist,” he said.
On the governor’s charge that the government took 27 days to reply to his letter, the chief minister said inquiries were being carried out and it would take a reasonable time to gather facts. “The time taken for giving a detailed reply to the Hon’ble Governor was because of this and not appreciating it is contrary to logic and reason. There was no question of ‘sitting on the communication’ from the Hon’ble Governor,” Pinarayi said.
“Allegations without factual basis and personal insults do not help understand matters and draw clear and unbiased conclusions,” the chief minister reminded the governor.
