New Delhi, Jan 22: Describing the CBI`s move to
prosecute its top leader Pinarayi Vijayan as politically
motivated, the CPI-M on Thursday night charged the Congress with using Central investigating agencies for "political" purposes.
"The use of Central investigating agencies by the ruling
party for political purposes should be a matter of serious
public concern. The CPI-M will take this issue to the people
and expose the political game plan behind this move," the
politburo said in a statement here.
The statement came after Kerala Chief Minister V S
Achuthanandan air-dashed to Delhi to brief party`s top brass
including general secretary Prakash Karat on the SNC Lavlin
case and its political implications.
Maintaining that the CBI`s move to prosecute Vijayan was
"politically motivated," the party said that "the erstwhile
Congress-led UDF government of Oomen Chandy had referred the
case to CBI in 2006 after the vigilance inquiry ordered by it
had exonerated Comrade Vijayan of any wrongdoing."
The CPI-M observed that it had then condemned the
"partisan" move, as it came on the eve of the Assembly
elections.
It said, "now with the advent of the Lok Sabha polls,
once again the case is being proceeded with."
Earlier in the day, the four available members of the
party Politburo -- Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, Sitaram
Yechury and S R Pillai -- had a long meeting to discuss the
issue. But they went in for another round of deliberations
after Achuthanandan flew down in the evening to meet the party
top brass.
Achuthanandan, who emerged from the meeting with the
party`s top brass, refused to comment, except that he had come
to Delhi to brief the leaders on the SNC Lavlin case and he
had done so.
The CBI`s move to seek government consent to prosecute a
Politburo member and the state party Secretary in the SNC
Lavlin corruption case is likely to affect the Left campaign
in the state in the upcoming general elections.
The state party leaders have said they would counter the
"heinous political move politically," as the CBI move had come
up after the Left withdrew support to the UPA government.
Vijayan was the Power Minister in mid-1990s when the
contract with the Canadian firm was finalised. The case
pertained to major losses suffered by the state and alleged
corruption in the award of the contract to SNC Lavalin for
renovation of three hydro-electric projects at Pallivasal,
Changulam and Panniar.
CBI move exposes Marxist party: BJP
The BJP today said the CBI`s move
to seek government`s consent to prosecute Kerala CPI-M
secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in the SNC Lavalin corruption case
was a proof of the Marxist party`s "double standards."
"We have always said that the SNC Lavalin deal is a clear
case of corruption and needs thorough probe. We demand
that CBI be given freedom to proceed as per the need," party
spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters here.
The saffron party has also said that it would use the
case against the Kerala government in the Lok Sabha polls and
"expose the double standards of the Marxist party".
The development will make the Lok Sabha polls campaign
difficult for ruling LDF as the contract with the Canadian
firm was finalised in mid-1990s when the present CPI-M state
secretary Vijayan was the Power Minister.
Though the investigating agency, which filed the progress
report in the case in the Kerala High Court yesterday, has not
named the then power minister, it was Vijayan who was the
minister in-charge of the portfolio then.
The case pertained to huge loss suffered by the state and
corruption allegedly involved in awarding the contract to
Canadian firm SNC Lavalin for renovation of three hydro
electric projects -- Pallivasal, Changulam and Panniar.
Bureau Report
