<p>Escalating their attack against the left government in the state in the gold smuggling case, opposition parties in Kerala on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the allegations raised by them against his office in the matter.</p>.<p>The opposition has been up in arms against the government over the recent seizure of over 30 kg of gold from the International Airport which was attempted to be smuggled into the state through diplomatic baggage.</p>.<p>"The chief minister's office is under the shadow of doubt. The Chief Minister should resign and face the probe.</p>.<p>The United Democratic Front demands the resignation and we have planned widespread protests in the state following all the Covid-19 protocols," Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala told reporters.</p>.<p>With the Congress and BJP stepping up their attack, the left government on Tuesday removed M Sivasankar, who was the secretary to the Chief Minister and the IT Principal secretary, after the opposition targeted him for the appointment of a woman official of the IT department, alleged to be the 'kingpin' and who was being investigated by the Crime Branch in another case.</p>.<p>Soon after he was removed as secretary to CM, Sivasankar went on leave from his IT post. Subsequently, he was removed from that post too.</p>.<p>Vijayan had yesterday dismissed all the allegations and said the "controversial woman" was not associated with the Chief Minister's office.</p>.<p>Chennithala, in his press meet at his official residence today, alleged that the woman was a known person to the chief minister and she was appointed in the IT department which came under the CM.</p>.<p>"Some media reports have come out citing the illegal dealings of the former IT secretary with the controversial woman.</p>.<p>The same woman was the coordinator of the Space Conclave which was organised for the state government.</p>.<p>How can the chief minister say that he was unaware of such a person who handled a major event in the state," Chennithala asked. Chennithala has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a CBI probe into the matter, saying the seized gold worth "Rs 30 crore illegally brought to our country" from a consignment was addressed to the "UAE consulate."</p>.<p>The UAE Embassy in Delhi in a tweet yesterday said the UAE authorities have launched an investigation to find out who sent the cargo containing gold to the address of the UAE consulate.</p>.<p>BJP state chief K Surendran on Wednesday demanded the chief minister's resignation alleging Vijayan's involvement was clear in the matter.</p>.<p>He said the Chief Minister should explain the role of his office in the gold smuggling case, which is detrimental to national security.</p>.<p>The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), an ally of the Congress-led UDF, said a CBI probe was required as the "matter involves relations between two countries."</p>.<p>The youth wing of the Congress and the BJP have staged protests at various places in Kerala against the government.</p>.<p>Vijayan has said that the case was being probed by the Customs department, a central government agency, and the state government has no role in it.</p>.<p>"The consignment was addressed to the UAE Consulate and not to any government agency. How's the state government responsible for that? It's the centre which has to take a call on the probe agency and not the state government. We have extended our full support to the Customs authorities," Vijayan said.</p>.<p>He has also dismissed the BJP's allegation that the CM's office tried to interfere in the matter and pointed out that the Customs joint Commissioner had said publicly that no one from the government tried to influence the probe.</p>.<p>With the woman, a former employee of a foreign country's consulate in Kerala, on the run, the Customs on Tuesday said it was planning to issue a lookout notice for her.</p>.<p>The central agency's move came a day after it arrested a man, who claimed himself to be a former employee of a foreign country's consulate in Kerala, in connection with the seizure of gold worth over Rs 15 crore from a "diplomatic baggage" at Thiruvananthapuram international airport on Sunday.</p>
<p>Escalating their attack against the left government in the state in the gold smuggling case, opposition parties in Kerala on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the allegations raised by them against his office in the matter.</p>.<p>The opposition has been up in arms against the government over the recent seizure of over 30 kg of gold from the International Airport which was attempted to be smuggled into the state through diplomatic baggage.</p>.<p>"The chief minister's office is under the shadow of doubt. The Chief Minister should resign and face the probe.</p>.<p>The United Democratic Front demands the resignation and we have planned widespread protests in the state following all the Covid-19 protocols," Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala told reporters.</p>.<p>With the Congress and BJP stepping up their attack, the left government on Tuesday removed M Sivasankar, who was the secretary to the Chief Minister and the IT Principal secretary, after the opposition targeted him for the appointment of a woman official of the IT department, alleged to be the 'kingpin' and who was being investigated by the Crime Branch in another case.</p>.<p>Soon after he was removed as secretary to CM, Sivasankar went on leave from his IT post. Subsequently, he was removed from that post too.</p>.<p>Vijayan had yesterday dismissed all the allegations and said the "controversial woman" was not associated with the Chief Minister's office.</p>.<p>Chennithala, in his press meet at his official residence today, alleged that the woman was a known person to the chief minister and she was appointed in the IT department which came under the CM.</p>.<p>"Some media reports have come out citing the illegal dealings of the former IT secretary with the controversial woman.</p>.<p>The same woman was the coordinator of the Space Conclave which was organised for the state government.</p>.<p>How can the chief minister say that he was unaware of such a person who handled a major event in the state," Chennithala asked. Chennithala has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a CBI probe into the matter, saying the seized gold worth "Rs 30 crore illegally brought to our country" from a consignment was addressed to the "UAE consulate."</p>.<p>The UAE Embassy in Delhi in a tweet yesterday said the UAE authorities have launched an investigation to find out who sent the cargo containing gold to the address of the UAE consulate.</p>.<p>BJP state chief K Surendran on Wednesday demanded the chief minister's resignation alleging Vijayan's involvement was clear in the matter.</p>.<p>He said the Chief Minister should explain the role of his office in the gold smuggling case, which is detrimental to national security.</p>.<p>The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), an ally of the Congress-led UDF, said a CBI probe was required as the "matter involves relations between two countries."</p>.<p>The youth wing of the Congress and the BJP have staged protests at various places in Kerala against the government.</p>.<p>Vijayan has said that the case was being probed by the Customs department, a central government agency, and the state government has no role in it.</p>.<p>"The consignment was addressed to the UAE Consulate and not to any government agency. How's the state government responsible for that? It's the centre which has to take a call on the probe agency and not the state government. We have extended our full support to the Customs authorities," Vijayan said.</p>.<p>He has also dismissed the BJP's allegation that the CM's office tried to interfere in the matter and pointed out that the Customs joint Commissioner had said publicly that no one from the government tried to influence the probe.</p>.<p>With the woman, a former employee of a foreign country's consulate in Kerala, on the run, the Customs on Tuesday said it was planning to issue a lookout notice for her.</p>.<p>The central agency's move came a day after it arrested a man, who claimed himself to be a former employee of a foreign country's consulate in Kerala, in connection with the seizure of gold worth over Rs 15 crore from a "diplomatic baggage" at Thiruvananthapuram international airport on Sunday.</p>