CM is VC of corruption varsity: Cong

Thrissur/Palakkad: Congress leaders VD Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala slammed CM Pinarayi Vijayan for his remark that some government staff have doctorate in corrupt practices. Satheesan alleged that Vijayan’s office has become the epicentre of corruption cases and he seems to have assumed the role of the VC of ‘university of corruption’.
Chennithala alleged that Vijayan has emerged as the most-corrupt CM of Kerala and government staff, right up to village assistants, are ‘inspired’ by his expertise in corrupt practices.The CM seems to have taken a PhD in corruption and when the person at the top is corrupt, the lower-level staff will naturally adopt the same path, he said. They were addressing the media on the sidelines of Youth Congress’ state conference on Friday.
“CM was saying it was difficult to believe that other staffers at Palakkayam village in Palakkad were unaware that the village assistant was indulging in corrupt activities. This is exactly what people of Kerala must ask the CM; was he not aware when his office staff, including the principal secretary, were engaged in corrupt and illegal acts,” said Satheesan.
He added that the recent murder of the hotel owner at Kozhikode was heinous and painful and the incident has triggered widespread public fear. Such incidents cannot be seen in isolation and they are the consequence of the weakening of the law enforcement machinery. The police are not controlled by the CM, but by party leaders. Officers at the headquarters are engaged in open spats, Satheesan alleged.
‘Bribe taken from Rebuild Kerala beneficiaries’
Palakkayam village field assistant V Suresh Kumar, who was remanded in police custody for three days by Thrissur vigilance court, had pocketed lakhs of rupees from beneficiaries of Rebuild Kerala scheme. He used to collect Rs 5,000 to Rs 40,000 as bribe to give necessary documents to the beneficiaries to receive aid, said officers.
Days after Kumar was caught while taking a bribe, vigilance team found that he got lakhs of rupees from the public who approached him to avail Rebuild Kerala schemes that were launched to restore properties damaged in the floods that happened in 2018. Under the scheme, 46 persons from Vattappara, Achilatti and Kundampotti in Palakkayam village received aid under the scheme. Each person, who lost land and house in floods and landslides, was given a sum of Rs 10 lakh.
It is suspected that misappropriation of funds (meant for the public) took place in allotments for buying land. The land, which was priced at Rs 20,000/cent, was bought for up to Rs 50,000/cent in many cases and Kumar also got a cut. Also, vigilance officials received information that special ‘gangs’ operate at taluk and Agali land tribunal offices and they take large bribes. It is also alleged that besides officers, agents of ruling political parties are also involved in corruption.