This time, you will have to resign, LoP Satheesan tells Kerala CM Vijayan

Kochi, April 4 (IANS) Kerala's Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Friday asserted that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has no other option but to resign in the wake of his daughter Veena Vijayan figuring in the list of accused of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) charge sheet for receiving illegal gratification to the tune of Rs 2.70 crore from Kochi-based Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL), for mining sanctions.

Veena is the second accused in the SFIO charge sheet, which includes both firms, the CMRL and Veena Vijayan's Exalogic, besides CMRL’s MD, Sasidharan Kartha, and others.

This charge sheet has been filed at a special court in Kochi dealing with economic offences.

"In the past, you (Vijayan) came under duress in the SNC Lavalin and the infamous Kerala gold smuggling case, but this time things are different. Your daughter has been caught red-handed receiving money for no services offered, which is nothing but bribes. So you have to resign at the earliest," Satheesan said.

"During the UPA regime, when the then Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s distant relative came under a cloud after an allegation surfaced, the national leadership of the CPI-M demanded that Bansal should quit. In this SFIO case, it’s the daughter of Vijayan and not a distant relative, who is in the dock, as the case registered against her comes under the PMLA Act. Hence, the national leadership (of the CPI-M) should take the same stand that they took against Bansal and ask Vijayan to step down immediately," the Congress leader demanded.

"Not long ago, when the son of the then CPI-M state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was arrested by the ED, this shield of protection from the national leadership, which is now given to Vijayan, did not happen. Why is that two yardsticks are being applied... Balakrishnan stepped down from his post, and Vijayan (didn't)... is it because they are scared of Vijayan?" he asked.

"The charge sheet is clear that this was illegal gratification that Veena received for no services that her company provided. I wish to ask, why is it that no others are getting money for free like Veena got? If this had happened to the family of a Congress or any other political party's leader, the CPI-M would be the first to speak of political morality and ask that leader to step down," Satheesan said.

The Congress had called for a statewide protest demanding the resignation of Vijayan.

Even though the entire CPI-M leadership has openly supported Vijayan, it remains to be seen how long this will continue, as both the Congress and the BJP have decided to put maximum pressure on Vijayan.

Meanwhile, the national leadership of the CPI-M is mulling to file a petition against this SFIO charge sheet as soon there is going to be the Nilambur Assembly by-election, the local bodies election later this year and the Assembly polls in April/May next year and they would not like to have such a case hanging like the Damocles' sword over the party, which has deep roots, now, only in Kerala.

--IANS

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