Remarks in a CBI report regarding conspiracy involving CPM in the sexual allegations against Congress leader and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy rocked the Kerala Assembly on Monday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who denied the conspiracy allegation hit back at the Congress by reminding of the remarks made by many Congress leaders targeting Oommen Chandy when the solar scam involving a woman surfaced during the term of the Oommen Chandy government in 2011-16.
Incidentally, the house witnessed heated debates over Oommen Chandy on the day his son Chandy Oommen was sworn-in as a MLA in the house. The junior Chandy had a landslide victory in the by-poll held at Puthuppally in Kottayam following Oommen Chandy's death.
The fresh row triggered over remarks in a CBI report exonerating Oommen Chandy in the sexual allegations raised by the woman accused in the solar scam. The CBI report said that under pressure from the CPM leadership a controversial middle man persuaded the woman to lodge sexual assault complaint against Chandy. The CBI found the allegations baseless and the court accepted the CBI's findings.
Opposition Congress raised the issue in the house through an adjournment motion notice, which was allowed by the ruling front, following which the house witnessed around three hours long debates.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan alleged that the CPM gave money to the complainant through the controversial middleman with the aim of tarnishing Oommen Chandy's image and toppling his government. The letter containing sexual allegations against Chandy was fabricated. All those who were involved in the conspiracy should be exposed.
In his reply, Vijayan hit back by recollecting statements made by Congress leaders targeting Oommen Chandy when the solar scam surfaced. He also denied nexus with the controversial middleman. He said that his government sought CBI probe into the sexual assault complaint against Chandy by following the due course of law only and there was no conspiracy.
Vijayan also said that if the opposition formally seeks probe into the conspiracy findings in the CBI report the government would take further legal action on the matter.
The motion was subsequently rejected by the house.
During the debates, left-front MLA K T Jaleel told Chandy Oommen that the left-front MLAs were Chandy's political opponents only whereas his political enemies were on his side only. Jaleel added that most allegations against Congress governments in Kerala, including the solar scam, surfaced following infight in the Congress party only.
Published 11 September 2023, 10:03 IST