Gold-smuggling case: Central agencies being used to target LDF govt in Kerala, alleges CPI(M)

 Accusing Congress-led UDF and BJP of targeting LDF government in Kerala, CPI(M) on Thursday said two parties have used gold-smuggling case to attack Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.In latest edition of its mouthpiece, People's Democracy, Communist Party of India (Marxist) alleged that four central ncies -- National Investigation ncy, Customs, Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation -- probing gold-smuggling case are "using it as a springboard to extend ir enquiries into various government projects and schemes".

efforts to discredit and denigrate Left Democratic Front government in Kerala have been mounting in past few weeks. Congress-led UDF and BJP have conducted agitations utilising gold smuggling case to target Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and LDF government.

"As assembly elections draw closer, Congress and BJP have moved explicitly to widen ambit of ir attack on government. Some of central ncies have also been enlisted in this nefarious game," it said.

editorial in magazine furr stated that when smuggling of gold through diplomatic bagg was discovered in July, chief minister h promptly asked Centre to investigate case through one of its appropriate ncies, as was necessary since goods were smuggled from abro.It alleged that home ministry entrusted case with NIA, even though re was prima facie ground to suspect any terror funding or national security threat. It n went on to describe roles played by or investigating ncies in case.

leer of opposition, Ramesh Chennithala, and state Congress have been repeatedly demanding probes by CBI and or central ncies at a time when all-India leership of Congress party and president, Sonia Gandhi, have publicly declared that central ncies like CBI, NIA and Narcotics Bureau are being misused to target opposition...

" coordination between Congress and BJP leers in state has become obvious with leers of both parties coming out with similar statements on all developing issues connected with investigations by central ncies," it said.

Left party also accused UDF and BJP of attacking developmental plans of LDF government, which it alleged got furr widened with report of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).

Congress-BJP nexus is evident in effort to weaponise CAG report against LDF government. A petition in High Court has been filed by a leer of RSS outfit, Sweshi Jagaran Manch, which wants court to declare bonds issued abro as unlawful and funds so raised by KIIFB frozen.

lawyer representing SJM leer is a general secretary of Kerala Presh Congress Committee, Maw Kuzhalnan. Congress and BJP have qualms in ganging up to disrupt pro-people programmes and developmental efforts of LDF government.

" CPI(M) and LDF in Kerala have resolved to fight back against se conspiracies and expose m before people. On vember 16, 25 lakh people participated in protest actions across state, in which efforts of central ncies to disrupt pro-people development programmes were condemned," editorial in People's Democracy said.

party, however, exuded confidence that as sourn state gears up for elections to local bodies -- three-tier panchayats, municipalities and corporations -- political mobilisation that is in full swing in favour of LDF will be a fitting rebuff to se opportunist and disruptive alignments.

(IM CREDITS:PTI)