With the controversy over the ‘masappadi’(monthly pay-off) paid to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan heats up in Kerala, Congress and BJP have engaged in a war of words over the issue.
The Congress alleged that since an ‘undercurrent’ of understanding pass between the BJP and CPI-M, no effective probe by Central agencies can take place in the “pay-off” case.
The BJP, on the other hand, is of the view that the CPI-M –led ruling LDF and the Congress-led Opposition UDF have settled the issue and that is why the UDF did not raise Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan’s “ Masappadi” issue in the Assembly.
Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan and BJP state president K Surendran, the other day, accused each other of benefitting from the state government’s “soft approach” towards them. Both Congress and BJP accused each other of having a secret pact with CPI-M.
Satheesan asked why “no case was registered against” BJP state president K Surendran in the Kodakara hawala-money heist case. The BJP chief accused the Kerala government of having a soft corner for Satheesan in the ‘Punarjani scam’.
Meanwhile, Satheesan said that Surendran was not arraigned in the Kodakara hawala-money heist case after “begging in front of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.”
The BJP was facing charges of using “hawala” money in the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls .According to a complaint filed on April 7, 2021, a gang stopped a car on the Kodakara flyover and looted Rs 25 lakh kept in the vehicle on the way to Kochi from Kozhikode. Police registered a case over the incident. The government said the money was brought from Karnataka, for the BJP’s Assembly election campaign. Police arrested 23 people and recovered Rs 1,58,48,801. Police have submitted a charge sheet in the case. K Surendran is the 7th witness in the case. CM Pinarayi Vijayan in the Assembly that “witnesses may become accused during the trial.”
The BJP has alleged that there is a secret understanding between CPI-M and Congress and that was why the Congress-led UDF has not raised the ‘Masappadi’(monthly pay-off)allegations against Chief Minister’s daughter Veena Vijayan in the Assembly.
BJP Kerala president K Surendran said there is a secret understanding between CPI-M and Congress, to wind up the Assembly session because of corruption charges against CM’s daughter and not because of Puthuppally by-election. Also, they (UDF) didn’t raise the ‘Masappadi’ (monthly pay-off) allegations against Chief Minister’s daughter Veena Vijayan in the Assembly, Surendran said.
The UDF has decided to remain silent in the House despite the fact that the chief minister could be attacked with allegations of abuse of power.
Launching a scathing attack on Congress-led UDF in Kerala for not raising the allegations against Chief Minister’s daughter Veena Vijayan in the Assembly on Thursday, BJP Kerala vice president Sobha Surendran said Opposition leader VD Satheesan is not able to do anything.
With the opposition keeping silent, the Chief Minister escaped from making a reply to the allegations raised against his daughter in the House. The Opposition UDF decided not to turn the Veena Vijayan issue into a political weapon as the names of prominent UDF leaders are also included in the diary jottings.
Meanwhile, it may be noted that it is Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, who fires salvos at the Chief and his daughter Veena over the pay-off issue
Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan has recently said that the Kerala CPI-M is the ‘B’ team of the BJP.
Satheesan said the CPI-M is working in Kerala in an understanding with the BJP as the central agencies are probing the cases including the SNC Lavlin case against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
He said that the Pinarayi Vijayan Government, which had taken up the case against KPCC president K Sudhakaran in connection with a case related to the fake antique dealer Monson Mavunkal, exempted BJP state president K Surendran, who should have been arraigned as an accused in the Kodakara money heist case.The state police, while trying to arrest Sudhakaran, are not going ahead with the case against Surendran, who is an accused in the Manjeswaram election bribery case, he said.
The Left government is protecting Surendran in order to save Pinarayi Vijayan from central probe agencies in various cases including SNC Lavlin, Life Mission Housing project cases, Satheesan alleged.
The Central probe agencies which harass opposition leaders,are not acting against chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who faced serious allegations, Satheesan further alleged.
In this connection, there are reports that resentment is brewing in BJP workers in Kerala for the stance taken by the Central agencies on the serious allegations against Pinarayi Vijayan They find it difficult to consume the reason attributed for the adjournment of the SNC Lavlin case, involving Kerala chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, for more than 30 times in the Supreme Court.
A BJP worker in Kozhikode asked why the CBI, which sought urgent listing of plea against bail granted to RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav in fodder Scam, is not pleading with the Supreme Court for no further adjournment to be allowed in the SNC Lavlin case.
The BJP workers are also sore over the manner in which the Central agencies conducted the diplomatic gold smuggling case, dollar smuggling case and the Life mission case. They say that the Congress’ allegation that the BJP and the Central agencies are protecting Pinarayi Vijayan and his family cannot be ruled out. They point to the fact that the Central agencies didn’t conduct even a preliminary inquiry into the damning revelations made by Swapna Suresh against Pinarayi Vijayan and his family.
Discontent against the BJP/RSS and CPI-M over the alleged nexus is brewing in the BJP cadre. “Helping CPI-M, which has been fighting BJP/RSS physically too, won’t be good for the BJP,” a BJP worker in Thalassey said.
The Central agencies are sparing Pinarayi Vijayan and his family from legal scrutiny on the allegation levelled against them. As Satheesan alleged when a complaint is raised against KPCC president, the ED acted swiftly on it. The charge that the Central agencies are acting selectively is not without substance.
Now, it is being reported that the ED has started a preliminary probe on the Masappady (monthly pay-off) case against Veena Vijayan. On this, a college teacher in Kozhikode said from the past experience, nothing will come out from this. By this kind of probe, the credibility of the Central agencies and the Central government is being lost.