Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has alleged that former Kerala chief secretary Tom Jose and former finance secretary Sanjay Kaul had held talks with the representatives of US firm EMCC Global Consortium LLC in Washington regarding the controversial deep-sea trawling project off the coast of the state.
They conducted discussions on the direction of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Chennithala claimed.
The opposition leader pointed to the appointment of Tom Jose as the chairman of the Kerala State Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) after retirement as a proof of the likely quid pro quo. This state undertaking had signed an MoU with EMCC (India) International.
'CM's ridiculous claim'
Chennithala said the chief minister’s statement that the agreements with the EMCC was scrapped not because of any lapses but to remove the misunderstanding among people over the project was ridiculous.
The chief minister should make it clear that why did the government go ahead with the project after signing two MoUs and allotting land even after the central government gave an adverse report against the EMCC.
This week the Kerala government had cancelled two MoUs signed with EMCC's India subsidiary. The second MoU was signed by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and the EMCC.
On Friday the government also announced its decision to rescind the earlier nod to allot EMCC four acres of land at the Mega Food Park at Pallipuram, Cherthala.
'CM owes an explanation'
Chennithala also wanted the chief minister to answer why his two Cabinet colleagues Mercykutty Amma and E P Jayrajan repeatedly told lies regarding the projects.
"Despite signing two MoUs and allotting 4 acres of land in Pallipuram, why did the government try to portray and downplay it as some research project? The chief minister owes an answer," Chennithala said.
"If the Inland Navigation Corporation signed the MoU without informing anyone then how come the government issued a statement portraying the project as a major achievement of the government? The chief minister should also explain as to how his picture was given along with the project in the advertisement which hailed it as a major achievement of the government. If the government has nothing to hide then why is it not prepared for a judicial probe into the entire issue? Chennithala remarked.
Continuing his charge Chennithala wondered whom are they (the government) trying to cheat by claiming that the state government was not aware of the MoU signed by Inland Navigation Corporation for the construction of 400 trawlers and five mother ships?
The Corporation is under the direct control of the chief minister. Not only that, chief minister’s close confidante Tom Jose is the chairman of the Corporation. So whom are they trying to fool by saying that the managing director had signed the MoU without the knowledge of others. If the chief minister is not aware of such matters then he is not eligible to sit on that chair, the opposition leader alleged.
CM on EMCC agreement
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is apparently making desperate attempts to distance his government from the EMCC deals.
Pinarayi said that the MoU signed by the Inland Navigation Corporation with American company EMCC was a strange agreement. The chief minister said so while inaugurating the public meeting held in connection with the southern leg of LDF's Vikasana Munnetta Yathra led by CPI leader Binoy Viswam in Thiruvananthapuram.
The chief minister said it was a "signing drama" staged by the Inland Navigation Corporation MD N Prashanth amidst election hustle bustle on February 2 without informing the government or the department secretary concerned.
“We have received a complaint that when a journalist sought information about the matter, Prasanth spoke to her in an uncivilised manner. The government has directed to probe the matter,” he added.
He said according to the information available now, the EMCC had not taken part in the ASCEND investors' summit in Kochi. So how did they come? This will be known only after a detailed probe, he said.