Decision to grant permission for Oasis taken without discussion in cabinet and LDF: VD Satheesan
Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan has alleged that the decision to grant permission for liquor manufacturing plants to Oasis Commercial Private Limited was made without consulting anyone. While speaking to reporters, he said that the note presented for consideration at the Cabinet meeting serves as evidence for this. The note, which came before the Cabinet, clearly shows that the Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh has stated that the matter was not discussed with any other department, Satheesan added. The Cabinet note proving his allegation was released by the Opposition leader.
"In November last year, during the Palakkad by-election campaign, the Chief Minister issued an order to submit the file to the Cabinet meeting. It is clear from the note that no permission was sought from any other department nor was there any communication with other departments," Satheesan said.
He argued that this confirms the opposition’s claim that the Chief Minister and Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh took the controversial decision without any discussions within the government or alliance. Departments such as Finance, Water Resources, Industry, and Local Self Government were unaware of the project details. No discussions were held within the LDF either. The Opposition has raised questions about the secrecy surrounding the issue. Satheesan also claimed that no other company, besides Oasis, had any knowledge about starting such a plant at Elappully. “The only question remaining to be answered is how much money was received in connection with this deal. That’s the question being raised by the opposition,” Satheesan said.
The note presented before the Cabinet for consideration also lavishes praise on the Oasis Company. It mentions the company's 20-year experience in states like Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. However, the same company’s owner had been arrested in a Delhi liquor policy corruption case and faced legal action in Haryana for polluting groundwater through a borewell just 4 kilometers away. The Opposition leader accused the government of intentionally concealing this information.
However, the 2023-24 liquor policy only mentions encouraging indigenous production of Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) required for liquor production in Kerala. This is also acknowledged in the Cabinet note presented. Based on this single decision, permission was granted in one go for the establishment of Ethanol plants, Multi-Feeds Distillation Units, Indian-made foreign liquor bottling units, breweries, malt spirit plants, and brandy/wine plants. “We would like to know the stand of other parties in the LDF regarding this issue,” said Satheesan.