According to media reports, the Kerala Lokayukta has issued a notice against the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other state ministers alleging them for the misuse of the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). Lokayukta Justice Pius C Kuriakose and upa-lokayuktas Justice KP Balachandran and Justice AK Basheer acted upon a complaint filed by former Kerala University syndicate member R.S. Sasikumar. Afterward, the anti-corruption body, Lokayukta filled a case and the hearing is scheduled to be held on 15th of February. It seems that the Communist government of Kerala was more interested in targeting the Central government for emergency funding (which the Modi government had provided promptly) than actually helping the people of the state.
In the complaint, R S Sasikumar claimed that Left Democratic Front (LDF) cabinet had illegally transferred funds to the families of NCP leader Uzhavur Vijayan, former Chengannur MLA K K Ramachandran Nair, and Praveen, the driver of the CPI (M) state secretary who died in an accident while on duty. According to the complaint, an amount of 25 lakh was granted to Vijayan’s family, Praveen’s kin was given an amount of Rs. 20 lakh, while a loan liability of Ramachandran Nair which sums up to 9 lakh was paid using the Disaster Relief Fund.
The report filed by Sasikumar pointed towards the fact that there was a systematic establishment of corruption in the CMDRF. As per the regulation of the CMDRF, the beneficiary of the scheme should earn less than 1 lakh annually. Moreover, the money can’t be used for any other purpose besides the treatment of the victims of the flood or any disaster. Also, there are regulations that only Rs. 25,000 can be sanctioned by the district collectors, Rs 3 lakh by CM of the state and for approval of any amount higher needs cabinet approval. So, if the allegations against the Kerala government stand ground; the whole system of the government comes under the radar.
From the apathy shown by the communist government during the flood to not even helping the people in reconstruction efforts, the Kerala government has surely shown that besides playing the blame-game it can do little else. What took the masses by shock was the CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s trip to the USA, amidst the devastating flood. The state was completely negligent to the need of enforcing strict checks on the measures to prevent the flooding in the state. CM Pinarayi Vijayan claimed that he went on a trip for treatment. But, the state government was tight-lipped about the nature of CM ailment, and the number of days that he would spend in the USA.
This presents one of the ugliest, yet the true face of communism. They’re not only double-faced but also extremely negligent to the needs of their masses, caring only about filling their own pockets. It is only a matter of time before people get to know their darker side and kick them out of power.