Union Minister Suresh Gopi
Sansad TV via PTI Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: Union minister of state for tourism Suresh Gopi, who had earlier led stirs over a major co-operative bank scam in Kerala, is now accused of turning his back on the victims of the scam.
Gopi, who is BJP's maiden Lok Sabha MP from Kerala representing the Thrissur constituency, refused to entertain a request form an elderly woman seeking help for getting the money she had deposited the scam hit Karuvannur Co-operative bank.
Gopi told the women during a public discussion in his constituency the other day that she may ask Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to receive the money that was seized by the Enforcement Directorate and disburse it to the depositors.
The woman, identified as Anandavalli of Mapranam, told a section of media on Thursday that before elections Gopi had assured that he would help in recovering the deposits. Hence she was upset when the minister rejected her plight.
"Many of us who deposited money in the cooperative bank are from very weak financial backgrounds. We don't know whom to approach for getting the money. Gopi, who is our MP, should have at least consoled us," she said.
It was the second such instance in recent times. Last week Gopi was caught up in a row over refusing to accept the request from an elderly in his constituency seeking assistance for reconstruction of his dilapidated house. The CPI(M) local leadership subsequently assured the elderly man that the party would construct a house for him.