The beleaguered Congress-led UDF Government in Kerala suffered a huge embarrassment on Tuesday when corruption charges were leveled within the State Assembly against the Public Works Minister’s office by a ruling front MlA, who was also a former Minister.
Kerala Congress (B) legislator and former Forest Minister KB Ganeshkumar, alleged in the Assembly that the Public Works Department under Minister VK Ibrahim Kunju of the Muslim league, second biggest constituent of the UDF, was a tent of corruption. The actual target of the allegation was the Minister himself, observers say.
“Three members of the Minister’s personal staff are known for huge corruption. They are the people ruling over (the Public Works Department),” Ganesh, a film star and son of former Minister and KC(B) chairman R Balakrishna Pillai whom the Supreme Court had in 2011 sentenced to one-year imprisonment for corruption.
The new charge, coming from none other than an MlA of the UDF itself, has complicated the situation for UDF Government headed by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, which has already been reeling under several corruption issues like the solar scam, bar scam, Plus-II scam, Travancore Titanium graft case, palm oil case, etc.
“There should be an enquiry by an Assembly committee into what I am saying. Then, if that committee finds any substance in my allegation it should be left to the CBI for investigation,” Ganesh Kumar said. He also wanted to speak of the irregularities being indulged in by another Minister but the Chair did not allow him to raise it.
Ibrahim Kunju rejected the charge and defended his aides while the Muslim league demanded immediate action against Ganesh Kumar for raising unfounded allegation. At an urgently held meeting of the parliamentary party leaders of the front constituents, Muslim league’s Industries Minister PK Kunhalikutty demanded ouster of Ganesh from the UDF parliamentary party.
The allegation by Ganesh Kumar plunged the Assembly into pandemonium with the Opposition coming out strongly in support of him and the ruling front benches opposing him, leading to adjournment of the House for the day halfway through its business. Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan said they would support Ganesh if he remained firm in his position.
Stating that Ganesh should not have used the Assembly to raise the allegation but could have done it within the UDF, Chief Minister Chandy, who had stood by him in his moments of crisis, assured the Muslim league that appropriate action would be taken against him. A UDF meeting to be held on December 15 will discuss the matter in detail.
When the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau had a few days ago found TO Sooraj IAS, Secretary in Kunju’s Department, guilty of corruption and amassment of assets beyond his means, Ganesh had said that he would soon reveal the names of some powerful people in the Government who were indulging in corruption.
Ganesh had raised the allegation while presenting a calling-attention motion on the non-development of roads leading to Sabarimala. “Whenever I ask the Minister for help for development works in my constituency he says there is no non-plan fund. But in his constituency, he had allotted hundreds of roads with non-plan funds,” he said.
The Chair tried to prevent the former minister from raising the allegation by pointing out that he should have given prior notice to do so or should have given it in writing and disallowed a discussion on the matter for the same reason. Ganesh said he had already informed the Chief Minister about the matter in writing.
Responding to the allegation, Kunju said Ganesh’s conduct in the House was against the rules. “I have a feeling that it is not Ganesh Kumar who is speaking. I feel that he has been possessed by someone’s ghost,” he said while State Muslim league general secretary ET Muhammad Basheer MP said in Delhi that Ganesh was merely trying to foment trouble.