Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] sought to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “repeated attempt” to tie the politically sensitive UAE consulate gold smuggling case to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s office.
CPI(M) State Secretary M. V. Govindan said Mr. Modi’s insinuation at a recent public rally in Thrissur that “we know the office where the economic offence originated” was conniving and petty.
He said Mr. Modi had used the Prime Minister’s Office as a bully pulpit to resurrect a bare-faced lie rejected by Kerala in the 2021 Assembly elections.
“Mr. Modi spoke flippantly about a case with grave national security implications. He used it as a propaganda tool to assail the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). Mr. Modi is concerned only about the tawdry business of politics. In contrast, the CPI(M) views the case with utmost gravity. The party wants the gold case probe to reach its logical end.”, Mr. Govindan said.
Mr. Govindan said multiple central agencies could not find an iota of evidence against the CMO. The high-profile probe, characterised by selective leaks to the media to slander the government, has entered a blind alley. The agencies were yet to question or secure the custody of the foreign nationals in the UAE consulate who “facilitated’ the economic offence.
“Mr. Modi would do well to remember that airports under the Central government’s control are conduits to channel contraband gold into the country. State governments have no jurisdiction over the facilities. Moreover, Central military forces and not law enforcement of States provide security cover to airports. Hence, the Centre is responsible for gold smuggling and not States”, said Mr. Govindan.
Moreover, the Union Ministry for External Affairs failed to secure the extradition of the main suspects from UAE to face the law in India”, Mr Govindan said.
National caste census
Mr Govindan also demanded that the central government fulfil its obligation and conduct a national census as soon as possible. “The Census should cover caste, social and economic factors to better target reservation meant for marginalised sections of society”, he said.
He said conducting a Census was a central subject over which States had little jurisdiction. “Kerala government would not conduct a caste survey like in Bihar. Instead, it demands that the Centre include the case factor in the national census. Moreover, a Census was mandatory to delimit constituencies”, Mr. Govindan said.
