Thiruvananthapuram: Following the passing of a resolution against Unified Civil Code (UCC) by the Kerala Legislative Assembly, both the ruling and opposition benches have found another reason to work together.
This time it is to put a lid over the allegations against Chief Minister’s daughter, whose company received alleged kickbacks from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd. (CMRL) without providing any service.
The reason for the silence of Congress-led United Democratic Front is because evidence has come out that Congress leaders were also paid monthly payments. The opposition had first planned to pass a motion to discuss the issue. However, the UDF abandoned the idea fearing that they would also be targeted as their leaders’ names are also involved in it.
The Income Tax Department had conducted a raid in January 2019, at the office of CMRL and at the office of the Managing Director, Sasidharan Kartha. In the raid the officers of the agency found the controversial diary in which names of political leaders are mentioned.
The diary contains names of former Chief Minister and deceased Congress leader, Oommen Chandy, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, Muslim League leader, Kunhalikutty, the daughter of Chief Minister, Veena Vijayan, etc.
The diary also mentions the amount of money received by these leaders.
The Congress is now in a fix. It fears that if they raise the issue in the Assembly, the name of their own leaders will also come out in connection with the monthly payment issue.
The Income Tax Department found that CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter, Veena Vijayan’s company, Exalogic Solutions, was given huge amounts by CMRL. The company had given payment to Exalogic for three years from 2017 onwards. However, the MD of CMRL, Sasidharan Kartha, claims that his company has no financial dealings with Veena Vijayan’s company and that he does not remember anything else.
The Income Tax Department has confirmed that money was passed between CMRL and Exalogic.
Interestingly, the government has decided to wind up the Assembly meeting today itself after the media began reporting on it continuously. Their decision comes after the issue flared up.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State, V Muraleedharan, came out against the government’s decision. He said that opposition leader, VD Satheesan, did not oppose the government’s decision to cut short the Assembly meeting in order to help Pinarayi Vijayan.
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