Left govt provides political patronage to smugglers, alleges Ramesh Chennithala

Chennithala, leader of the opposition in the state assembly, and the Congress-led United Democratic Front has been targeting the the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government over the recent gold smuggling involving diplomatic baggage, alleging that the Chief minister's Office had links with the accused. Chennithala was speaking at the "Save Kerala Speak Up" online protest campaign organised by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) here on Wednesday.

Launching a scathing attack on the Left government in Kerala, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged it provides political patronage to smugglers and corrupt people and the police force has becaome a puppet. Chennithala, leader of the opposition in the state assembly, and the Congress-led United Democratic Front has been targeting the the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government over the recent gold smuggling involving diplomatic baggage, alleging that the Chief minister's Office had links with the accused.

Chennithala was speaking at the "Save Kerala Speak Up" online protest campaign organised by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) here on Wednesday. The protests were inaugurated by Congress working committee member A K Antony through video conference.

The Congress leader also lashed out at police for failing to nab the accused in the treasury 'embezzlement' case immediately. The accused was arrested after he gave an interview to a news channel.

"The state Police was unable to nab the treasury fraud case accused for the past four days.. He swindled Rs 2 crore meant for Adivasi welfare and is enjoying police protection. It is the same police which helped gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh to leave the state," Chennithala alleged.

While addressing the conference, Chennithala termed the campaign as a "historic strike to bring an end to the corrupt LDF rule." Expressing shock over the rape of a 75-year-old woman and death of a boy who was allegedly denied treatment at government hospitals, the Opposition leader claimed that women and children were feeling unsafe in the state. He also lashed out at the Chief Minister for transferring responsibilities of COVID-19 management from the Health department to the police, saying it will lead to establishing a Police Raj in the state and affect the morale of the health officials.

The state government had recently entrusted the job of identifying and tracing the COVID-19 patients, their contacts, declaration of containment zones and related activities to the police force. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran and other Congress leaders participated in the protests.