Saji Cheriyan, who resigned from the Pinarayi Vijayan government over his controversial remarks against the constitution, is all set to return as a minister.
The CPI-M state secretariat which has, on Friday, given the nod to the re-induction Saji Cherian into the cabinet, almost six months after he resigned following an uproar over his alleged anti-Constitutional remark. The secretariat entrusted the chief minister to take a call on the date of the swearing in ceremony.
The decision to re-induct him into the cabinet came after the Kerala High Court recently dismissed two the pleas that sought his disqualification as a legislator over the speech he made allegedly insulting the Constitution of India.
The state police submitted a report in a local court at Thiruvalla in the Pathanamthitta district on Thursday, acquitting him of the charges citing that Cheriyan did not dishonour the Constitution.
The government has informed Governor Arif Mohammad Khan of the decision to re-induct Cherian in the cabinet .The date for his swearing-in ceremony would be decided based on the Governor’s convenience. Sources said he is likely to be sworn in on 4 January.
Saji Cherian had stepped down as minister for fisheries, culture and youth affairs on 6 July after his remarks during an event in Mallappally that had sparked a row.
A three-minute video clip of Saji Cherian addressing a CPI-M event at Mallappally in Pathanamthitta had gone viral. The video purportedly showed him saying that “India has a beautifully written Constitution. But, I would say that the Constitution is written to rob the people.”
“Though there are traces of a few good things such as democracy and secularism in the Constitution, it aims to exploit the common man,” the video showed him as saying.
Meanwhile, the Congress-led UDF has come out against the decision of the CPI-M to bring back Saji Cherian to the cabinet. The UDF termed the decision a challenge to Kerala society.
Criticising the decision, KPCC president K Sudhakaran asked “If Saji Cherian had not violated the Constitution, why did the CPI-M) ask him to step down?
“Even after violating the Constitution, what investigation did the government conduct? Is there any report available on that investigation,” Sudhakaran further asked.
He said his party would observe 4 January as a black day.
Calling the decision a mockery of the society, Opposition leader VD Satheesan said the situation that led to Saji Cherian’s resignation still remains the same.