press trust of india
Thiruvananthapuram, 10 July
With the LDF in Kerala baying for his resignation on the solar panel scam, a defiant Chief Minister Oommen Chandy rejected their demand, saying it was part of a political conspiracy by the CPI-M-led Opposition and if he stepped down now, he would be doing an “injustice to truth.”
“I am not a person who wants to cling to power at any cost. But, if I resign now, I will be doing injustice to truth,” Mr Chandy, in the eye of a storm triggered by the scam, told reporters after a Cabinet meeting here today.
Expressing confidence of overcoming the present crisis, he said it was now a political issue and “we will fight it out.”
“Party high command, state Congress party, the ministry and the ruling UDF are united on this issue,” he asserted.
Mr Chandy said the charges against him were part of a political conspiracy by the CPI-M led LDF Opposition, because all their agitations against the UDF government after it came to power failed to click.
The conspiracy began after the arrest of a personal staff member in the Chief Minister’s office, he said.
“After that the LDF thought, it was a chance to target me and the UDF government, he said adding “we will not yield to their political designs.”
On the 12-hour hartal called by the Opposition today, demanding his resignation, Mr Chandy said it was a challenge to the people and the government would not tolerate violence in the pretext of agitation.
Mr Chandy also rejected the statement of the complainant in the solar case, Sreedharan Nair, that he had met the chief minister and discussed the solar project. Investigation into the case was progressing in the right direction and “all accused in the case would be brought before the law,” he said.
The scam pertains to alleged cheating of several people to the tune of crores by one Saritha Nair and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan by offering solar panel solutions. An actress, Shalu Menon has also been arrested in connection with the case.
It took a serious political turn with the arrest of one of Mr Chandy’s close personal aides, who has alleged links with the accused. Two other employees from his personal staff have also been removed.