Probe demanded into charges against CM's kin

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEP. 2. The KPCC(I) president, Mr. Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, has hit out at the Chief Minister, Mr. E. K. Nayanar, for conveniently sidestepping charges of corruption against him and his family members instead of taking the appropriate step to clear the air.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, the KPCC(I) president, referring to Mr. Nayanar's statement that only the late C. Achutha Menon and E.M.S. Namboodiripad, besides himself were corruption-free Chief Ministers, pointed out that Achutha Menon or E.M.S. Namboodiripad did not have to face the ignominy of facing charges of corruption either against them or their family members.

In the case of Mr. Nayanar, the charges of allegations were made both inside and outside the Assembly. It was natural for any public worker with a democratic conscience to prove his sincerity and convince the people by ordering a inquiry into the corruption charges, Mr Pillai said.

"In his eagerness to glorify himself, Mr Nayanar forgot to include the former CPI chief Minister, Mr P K Vasudevan Nair, in his list of corruption-free Chief Ministers. It was only after the CPI state secretary Veliyam Bharghavan came up with a strong reaction that Mr Nayanar corrected himself. Mr Nayanar's contention is that only the Left Chief Ministers were not corruption and the rest like the Late Pattom Thanu Pillai, C Kesavan, R Sankar, A J John, C H Mohammed Koya, Mr K Karunakaran and Mr A K Antony were corrupt. It took Mr Nayanar more than 18 months after the death of E.M.S. top pronounce the Late Menon as uncorrupt," Mr Thennala Balakrishna Pillai said.

Mr Pillai contended Mr Nayanar continued to harbour a grudge against the CPI which was the main reason why he had virtually named Mr Nair as a corrupt Chief Minister. Mr Pillai listed out the charges of corruption against Mr Nayanar's son, and sons-in- law and the crores of rupees they had earned through their political clout. Even though the Chief Minister had promised to throw out corrupt ministers from his cabinet within 24 hours, Mr Nayanar did not have the guts to touch any one of them because he was afraid that they would expose his family members, Mr Pillai said.

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Section  : Southern States
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