V S Achuthanandan says Supreme Court remarks a slap on CM's face

Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan on Monday said the Supreme Court observation in Palm Oil case was a tight slap on Chief Minister Mr Oommen Chandy’s face. At a press conference convened here soon after the SC observations, Achuthanandan was quite harsh on Chandy. “The state had not seen such a ‘shameless’ chief minister.

Despite getting battered right and left by the courts, Chandy is clinging to power without an iota of shame,’’ he said and added that Solar and Salim Raj land grab cases were a proof. Chandy tried to “write off” the Palm Oil case by misusing police and even indirectly threatening the judiciary. But now the apex court has posed the right question; How can the police which is under the chief minister probe the matter in a free and fair manner?

Achuthanandan said he and the opposition parties had raised the same issue time and again. Now the SC has asked why can’t the case be handed over to other agency including CBI. The apex court observations came on a petition filed by Achuthanandan demanding a probe by an outside agency into palm oil case.

Opposition vindicated: Pinarayi

CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said the Opposition LDF stand seeking a probe into palm oil case by an outside agency all these years, has now been vindicated by Supreme Court observations. “We have also been demanding probe by an external agency right from the beginning. People of the state want the chief minister to resign. But for someone who can go to any extent to justify himself, the court observation is not an issue,'' Pinarayi said.

CPM politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the chief minister should resign immediately following court observations. “He has lost the moral right to continue in office,’’ he added. Meanwhile, the LDF has decided to organise big protest march in front of the secretariat demanding the chief minister's resignation. The march will begin from Palayam Martyrs square at 10 am and culminate in front of the secretariat.

In a statement here the LDF slammed Chandy for clinging to chair despite the adverse observations made by the Supreme Court and the verdict of the Special Judge and Inquiry Commissioner (Vigilance) in Titanium corruption case. The LDF also demanded resignation of  PWD Minister V K Ebrahim Kunju and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala in connection with the titanium case.