Kochi, Sep 19 (PTI) Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Saturday said it is not yet time to criticise the UDF government, and the role of the previous LDF government over the last 10 years should also be taken into account while discussing the power crisis in Keralam.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, “The state government itself has said that the severity of the shortage has reduced after getting power from the central pool over the last two days. You should also account for what happened over the last 10 years.” “The time hasn’t come yet to criticise the UDF government. Let it come. Let things become clear to us. There is a malicious intent in thinking that you should make us criticise them for your convenience,” Gopi said.
Asked about allegations that his refusal to criticise the UDF government is linked to a Congress-BJP deal, Gopi rejected the charge.
He said his earlier remark, appreciating Chief Minister VD Satheesan for implementing the tourism project, was also wrongly interpreted.
“The obstacles were cleared after the Chief Minister was called and informed. Why do you immediately spin that into a ‘deal’? That is your politics. I dismiss that allegation with contempt,” he said.
On the search at the office of Malayalam TV channel Reporter Broadcasting Company (RBC) as part of a probe into alleged irregularities in a failed football event featuring Lionel Messi, Gopi said raids are conducted in the same manner for all citizens.
“Didn’t you see how those with a goonda mindset handled the ED officials who came for a search? You saw it too, right?” he said, referring to the alleged attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials by CPI(M) workers while they were returning after a search at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence in May in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) money-laundering case involving his daughter Veena T.
Gopi said if the RBC personnel faced any human rights violation during the search, it should be investigated and action taken if the findings supported the allegation.
“These agencies are working for the people, not just politicians, ministers or officials. Let them do their work,” he said.
On the ED probe involving Vijayan and his family, Gopi said the court should decide on it.
“I said the same in the cases involving Dileep, Binesh, AMMA, and Mukesh. In the ED case also, let the court speak,” he said. PTI TBA TBA ROH
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