ALAPPUZHA: Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has said that the CPM and the state government have a responsibility to respond to the Enforcement Directorate’s allegations of CPM Thrissur district committee amassing over Rs 100 crore illegally through 25 accounts and of agents pocketing a share of the loans disbursed illegally from the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank.
Addressing reporters in Alappuzha on Sunday, Satheesan said the allegations raised by the Enforcement Directorate against the CPM in a counter-affidavit submitted to the court in the Karuvannur case are serious.
“If the party collected this much money in one district, how much was collected in other districts,” he asked.
The Congress leader also accused the Kerala government of deceiving the people of Munambam by securing a stay from the High Court on a case pending before the Waqf Tribunal which was expected to deliver a verdict favouring the local residents.
“The Waqf Board, which is under government control, reportedly approached the High Court with the consent of the Waqf Minister to stall the Tribunal proceedings just days before the Tribunal’s term was set to end.
Critics allege that this move was a calculated conspiracy to delay justice and prevent a likely pro-people judgment. This is a move to implement the Sangh parivar’s agenda of communal division,” Satheesan alleged.
He accused the CPM of double standards in handling cases involving family members of its leaders.
“While the party rallied behind Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter in a financial case, it did not adopt the same stand when allegations surfaced against the son of former CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan,” he said.
He pointed out that the High Court has ordered a CBI investigation against K M Abraham, the chief minister’s principal secretary, citing prima facie evidence of illegal wealth accumulation.
On the alleged threat against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, Satheesan said the Congress and the Youth Congress are not the kind of organisations that yield to RSS threats.