Chennithala rejects BJP tie-up claim over ED raids
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday denied allegations that the ED searches at residences linked to Marxist veteran Pinarayi Vijayan were part of a “Congress-BJP operation,” and claimed instead that the CPI(M) had an understanding with the saffron party.
His cabinet colleague, K Muraleedharan, said the party does not trust the Enforcement Directorate and does not take its investigations seriously. “So, let the searches go on,” he told reporters. Chennithala, speaking to reporters, said the CPI(M) has to explain “why its bond with the BJP had failed”, leading to the ED action. He also rejected the CPI(M) claim that the raids followed a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister VD Satheesan a day earlier. The minister said a meeting between the PM and the Kerala CM was necessary for the state and part of routine Government work. “Pinarayi Vijayan met the PM so many times when he was CM,” he pointed out, adding there was no need to connect the meeting with the searches.
Chennithala termed the CPI(M) allegation that the searches were an outcome of an arrangement between the Congress and BJP a “fixed refrain.” “There is no need for that. Everyone knows what the Congress, BJP and CPI(M) stand for. All I want to ask is what happened to the people who entered into partnerships. They- the CPI(M) and BJP- had a partnership. The biggest connection was between them. They need to tell people how that partnership ended and why,” he claimed. Later, Muraleedharan said the Congress does not agree with everything the ED does.
“We have no links with the ED. Now that we are in power, I am sure the ED will enter the secretariat as well. We do not trust the agency, and we do not take its investigations seriously,” he said. On CPI(M) workers and activists taking to the streets to protest against the searches, he said it was not out of love for the former Kerala CM.
“Now that all departments, including the police, are under us, it is a good opportunity for them to damage Government property in the name of protests. Otherwise, why would someone throw stones at a police vehicle over the NEET issue, on which both the Government and the opposition hold the same view?” he asked.
