Kerala Opposition leader slams finance minster Thomas Issac for leaking CAG report

Kerala Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday slammed Finance Minister Thomas Issac for leaking a Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report without tabling it in the state Assembly. Chennithala accused the finance minister of committing a serious violation of rules and regulations by leaking the report.

Earlier in the day, Issac held a press conference and accused the Centre and the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) of trying to sabotage developmental activities in the state by using central agencies and CAG.

"There is an extraordinary incident where the finance minister himself leaks a report, which was not even tabled in the Assembly and held a press conference. This never happened in the history of India. The finance minister committed a serious violation of rules and regulations," Congress leader Chennithala said.

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'He is trying to put pressure on the CAG'

Adding further the minister said that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will give notice against Thomas Issac and the Speaker must take action against him for the violation. He further went on to say that the finance minister is shaken by the CAG's finding of corruption in the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).

"This is a government that robs the public of money. The minister has insulted the CAG," he said while adding that the press conference was conducted by Issac to cover up corruption. He is trying to put pressure on the CAG, Chennithala said.

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Congress and BJP are engaged in a big conspiracy: Issac

While addressing the press conference, the finance minister alleged that the CAG report is an attempt to claim that KIBFI loans are off-budget and anti-constitutional. Issac alleged that vested-interest parties are using the CAG for destroying Kerala's developmental projects.

"The Congress and BJP are engaged in a big conspiracy against the developmental activities in Kerala with the support of the central government," Issac claimed.

He added that a writ petition filed in the Kerala High Court by Jagran Manch leader Ranjith Karthik through advocate Mathew Kuzhalnadan is clear evidence of it. The petition demands to announce that borrowing money through KIFBI is anti-constitution, Issac said while adding that such writs were filed twice in 2019 and were withdrawn after the primary hearings.

Furthermore, a third petition was filed in February in which the central government, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), London stock exchange and CAG were impleaded as parties in the case, he said. "Let the court decide its merit,"  he added.

The finance minister further revealed that there is a lot of evidence about how the Centre is using the central agencies against the development of the states. "We could see much evidence of the BJP influencing constitutional bodies for their own interests. Like Enforcement Directorate is trying to sabotage life mission housing project, Torres IT park project,  K phone internet project, and e-mobility IT park project for manufacturing electric bus," Issac said.

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(With ANI inputs) (Image-PTI)