Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has firmly rebutted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent accusations of corruption within the Kerala government, labelling them as baseless and aimed at insulting the State.
In an interview to a news channel, Mr. Modi had alleged that the Pinarayi Vijayan government is defeating even the politicians of Bihar in terms of family rule and corruption. Mr. Modi had raised concerns about the involvement of the Chief Minister’s Office in the gold smuggling case. Despite allegations of inaction, Mr. Modi assured an independent inquiry into the matter
Responding to Mr. Modi’s remarks, Mr. Vijayan, in a public meeting held as part of the election campaign for the Left Democratic Front candidate M.V. Balakrishnan at Palakunnu in the Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituency on Sunday, challenged the basis of these claims, demanding evidence from authentic sources.
‘Driven by fear’
Mr. Vijayan highlighted the favourable political landscape for the left in Kerala, suggesting that the Opposition’s attacks are driven by fear rather than facts. He accused both Mr. Modi and Rahul Gandhi of spreading falsehoods about Kerala and emphasised the State’s low corruption levels, questioning the authenticity of the Prime Minister’s claims. He also criticised Mr. Modi for allegedly reducing tax allocations to the States and not adhering to Constitutional norms.
“Mr. Modi and Mr. Gandhi have the same voice when speaking against Kerala. The Prime Minister is trying to cover up the achievements of the State with lies. He is lying while sitting in charge of the NITI Aayog,” Mr. Vijayan said.
Furthermore, Mr. Vijayan criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party’s misleading advertisements about Kerala and accused Mr. Gandhi of evading direct confrontation with Mr. Modi and the Sangh Parivar.
Mr. Vijayan expressed confidence in the Election Commission’s ability to ensure fair voting processes, advocating for strict measures against any irregularities.
