[1]Thiruvananthapuram: The solar panel cheating case took a menacing turn on Monday as pro- and anti-government youths clashed outside the Assembly while chief minister Oommen Chandy admitted in the House that fraud victim Sreedharan Nair of Konni had called on him twice at his office though not in connection with the solar business.
The police stepped up vigil and drafted more pickets for Tuesday, fearing reprisals to Monday’s clash in which AIYF State president Krishnaprasad was injured.
Reports came in from across the State on retaliatory violence. The situation looked grim as the ruling front and the CPM-led Opposition braced for a showdown on the solar fraud rocking the State. During the zero hour in the House, while replying to the notice for the Opposition adjournment motion, Chandy did not mention the dates, but denied meeting Sreedharan Nair on a particular date cited by former finance minister T.M. Thomas Isaac.
He said he was prepared for any investigation, even a judicial probe, because “we are not afraid of it”.
“Sreedharan Nair had come to my office twice along with quarry owners to discuss their problems but the solar issue was not discussed at all”, Chandy said. He said the investigation was on course and a decision on handing over the probe to another agency would be taken after evaluating its progress.
CM’s son rubbishes BJP claim
BJP general secretary K. Surendran has alleged that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s son Chandy Oommen is the country manager for a foreign solar company, Star Flake, which has its operations in Florida and Costa Rica. However, Chandy, who is also the Youth Congress secretary, denied the allegations and stated that he would initiate legal action against Surendran.
The BJP leader claimed that the Star Flake’s Indian office is based at Nagambadam in Kottayam district and when he personally enquired about the whereabouts of the office, it could not be found out.
On enquiry in New Delhi, it was found that the company’s office has not been registered in the country. Surendran also claimed that a family member of the CM had done intermediary talks with Sreedharan Nair, one of the solar panel fraud case victims.
But Chandy Oommen termed Surendran’s claims as “baseless charges.” In a clarification issued here on Monday, he denied that he had links with a company named Star Flake. “I have not even heard of such a company,” he said.
Next: Political street play
Political street play
Thiruvananthapuram: With the activists of rival youth organizations settling scores violently on the streets, a grim situation prevails in the state with reports doing the rounds of possible guillotining of the current Assembly session which resumed on Monday after a two week break.
The Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has remained defiant in the face of Opposition onslaught, firmly declining their demand for a judicial probe into solar fraud. The Opposition is trying to keep the heat on Government by resorting to protest inside Assembly and unleashing its youth organizations outside. But with the Government showing no signs of buckling under pressure, the LDF will have to rework its strategy to take its agitation to next level.
But what is worrying is the law and order situation that is brewing across the state. The State Capital turned into a virtual blood-spattered battle field with Youth Congress hoodlums attacking AIYF state president Krishna Prasad and even women activists who were taking out a protest march to Assembly demanding Chandy’s resignation. In the meantime Youth Congress activists who were holding a demonstration outside Cantonment House, the official residence of Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan came to know about AIYF protest and rushed towards the Mascot hotel area.
Soon there was a free for all. Youth Congress activists, who were in big numbers, chased the 30 odd AIYF activists. They surrounded Krishna Prasad and rained with lathi blows. Another group was seen mercilessly beating up Bindu Raj, a woman activist of the AIYF. A profusely bleeding Krishna Prasad was rushed to the medical college hospital where he underwent eight stitches on the head. Bindu who sustained lathi blows, was also admitted to the hospital.
The Museum police took 10 Youth Congress activists into custody in connection with the attack in which half a dozen AIYF activists sustained injuires.
Meanwhile, AIYF retaliated by taking out a march to Youth Congress president Dean Kuriakose’s residence. The situation is all set to take an ugly turn with DYFI, AIYF and Yuva Morcha threatening to pay back in the same coin.
“So far we have ourselves to black flags and demonstrations at official functions of the CM. But if Youth Congress is under the illusion that it will be able to break our agitation with violence, then the Government will be responsible for the consequences,’’ warned DYFI state president M Swaraj.
The probe team was looking into various aspects of the reference to him in Nair’s petition. “I only expect the legal protection available to an ordinary citizen. Let the team examine five crucial documents including the original petition filed by Sreedharan Nair and the statement he gave before a magistrate,” said Chandy.
CM shared solar profit: VS
Opposition leader V. S. Achuthanandan renewed his attack on Chief Minster Oommen Chandy in connection with the solar scam, in the Assembly, on Monday. He alleged that members of the Chief Minister's family had links with the solar scam. He also alleged that the Chief Minister received a share of the profits of the scam.
It may be recalled that the State Assembly was suspended for nearly two weeks on June 24 following noisy scenes triggered by certain personal remarks made by Achuthanandan against Chandy.
Speaking in the house on Monday after the Speaker had denied permission for an adjournment motion, Achuthanandan asked why the police was not taking any action against the Chief Minister's former personal staff Sakim Raj and Jikkumon Jacob and his associate in Delhi, Thomas Kuruvila. Even their bank accounts were not frozen or examined, he said.
"On June 24, when I made some reference regarding a case pertaining to the Chief Minister's family members to show the links with the solar scam, it was misinterpreted. However, subsequent reports have suggested the links of the Chief Minister's family with the scam. The attempt to hand over the probe to the CBI was aimed at torpedoing the probe. A Chief Minister who got crores as share of the scam should quit," Achuthanandan said. He recalled that former Chief Minister K. Karunakaran and A K Antony had to quit following similar allegations.
Even as the Achuthanandan was making his speech, Opposition MLAs trooped into the well of the house shouting slogans and demanding the resignation of Chandy. They carried posters of Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan at the house of TV actress Shalu Menon, who was arrested by the police for her involvement in the scam. As the protests mounted, Speaker G. Karthikeyan suspended the house for about one hour.
Kodiyeri Balakrishanan, opposition deputy leader, who gave notice for the adjournment motion, also alleged that the Chief Minister's office was the epicentre of the solar scam. He also alleged that the call details of Saritha S. Nair, one of the accused in the scam, were being leaked by officers of the Chief Minister and Home Minister.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/youth002jpg-687