Kerala Opposition Leader declares Statewide protest seeking Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s resignation

V.D. Satheesan says Kerala is witnessing a standstill in governance with Chief Minister’s move to evade crucial questions on various allegations raised by LDF legislator P.V. Anvar

Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Friday (September 27, 2024) said a series of Statewide protests would be launched under the leadership of various Opposition parties on Saturday (September 28) seeking the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of the latest revelations by LDF Independent legislator P.V. Anvar and against Mr. Vijayan’s “silence” on the grave allegations which had reportedly led to an “administrative standstill” in Kerala.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Satheesan alleged that the Chief Minister was “scared” of Mr. Anvar who actually made his entry with the same issues raised by the Opposition at various times in Kerala.

“We will hold protests in front of the Secretariat and district headquarters simultaneously on October 8 to press for the immediate resignation of the Chief Minister who has been ignoring the grave charges for about 25 days,” he added.

Holding Mr. Vijayan accountable for “failing to crack down” on suspected mafia gangs around Chief Minister’s Office, Mr. Satheesan said the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its leaders were having an “unholy alliance” with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala for various hidden motives.

“Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) M.R. Ajith Kumar was actually sent as a messenger of Mr. Vijayan to meet the RSS leaders,” he alleged.

Dismissing Mr. Anvar’s claim that there was a political nexus between the top leaders of various political parties in Kerala to hush up various controversial cases, he said there would not have been any “nasty cases” against respectable Congress leaders suchas Oommen Chandy if there was such a political nexus in Kerala.

“Now, I am also facing many such investigations led by the Directorate of Enforcement and Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau squad,” he said.

Mr. Satheesan said all the ongoing police investigations into the newly surfaced allegations were “a farce” which only uncovers the “double standards” adopted by the Kerala government on various issues.

“Kerala is now witnessing an administrative standstill which has crippled the growth of all sectors. We have been raising all these issues for over three years. There are also issues related to Mr. Anvar within the CPI (M) which would soon come to light,” he said.

Published - September 27, 2024 02:09 pm IST