Gold Smuggling Case: CPM Central Committee Pledges Support to Vijayan

The central committee of the CPI(M), which held a two-day meeting on Saturday and Sunday, decided to back the LDF Government in Kerala entangled in a web of controversies over a gold smuggling case.

Talking to reporters here on Monday, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the gold smuggling case in Kerala through diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE consulate is being used by the Congress-led UDF and the BJP, working in tandem, to destabilise the LDF government, demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on false allegations. “The case concerns the Customs’ seizure of contraband gold and does not fall within the jurisdiction of the State government. The Chief Minister asked for an investigation by the Central agencies, and the NIA is currently investigating the matter. All those found guilty and involved in this racket by the NIA should be dealt with in accordance with law,” he said and maintained that the party leadership has not given a clean chit to anyone.

Yechury, however, did not answer questions on the controversial consultancy agreements with firms such as PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG. He said the CPI(M)’s stand towards such firms are oft-repeated. “The CPI(M) central committee is confident that the people of Kerala will defeat this disruptive move of the UDF and BJP at a time when all efforts are needed to be focused on combating the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

He said both the MLAs of the CPI(M) in Rajasthan will vote against the BJP in the event of a trust vote. He accused the BJP of trying to destabilise elected governments led by Opposition parties.

He urged the Centre and State governments to release political prisoners. “The demand for the release of several prominent human rights activists on health grounds, given the pandemic situation, continues to be treated with contempt. Any expression of dissent is treated as `anti-national’. Even the few left in the media who dare to challenge the authorities concerned are not spared and fabricated cases have been filed against them,” said Yechury.