The Kerala CPM has launched a counter-campaign against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan over Raj Bhavan appointments and expenses, following Khan's warning that he will scrutinise widespread misuse of public funds for paying salary and lifelong pensions to personal staff members of the Chief Minister and ministers.
On Monday, a document was released supporting the governor's earlier request to the state government to regularise 21 temporary employees at Raj Bhavan. It featured one photographer and 20 members from the Kudumbashree poverty eradication and women empowerment programme.
The CPM's youth wing protested Khan's purported back-door appointments, despite Raj Bhavan's assertion that appointments were made to existing openings.
According to a Raj Bhavan statement, the governor's personal staff receive no pension benefits. Meanwhile, information on Raj Bhavan's staffing, pay, and expenses were shared widely on social media.
CPM's mouthpiece carried reports on the plight of former personal staff members, citing that many received a meagre pension of around Rs 3,350.
Khan had alleged that each minister appointed up to 25 personal staff members, and they were changed after two years to ensure that more people got a lifelong pension from the government. He termed it as a fraud to loot the public money by the ruling parties and said that he would take up the matter.
Published 21 November 2022, 16:32 IST