‘Don’t talk too much, chechi’: Suresh Gopi does it again, turns down elderly woman’s plea over Karuvannur scam

Porathissery (Kerala): At a recent “Kalunk” (culvert) community dialogue held at Porathissery’s Kandarampath in his Thrissur constituency on Wednesday, Union Minister Suresh Gopi found himself in a tense exchange with an elderly woman identified as Anandavalli of Kuttippurathu House, over the long-pending Karuvannur bank scam.

“Is there any way to get back the money we deposited in Karuvannur Bank, sir? I earned it, scrubbing dishes and floors in various houses,” Anandavalli asked the Union Minister, referring to the Enforcement Directorate’s seizure of assets in the case.

Gopi responded, “You should ask your Chief Minister to accept the money recovered by the ED and return it to depositors.” Anandavalli replied, “But I can’t go near the Chief Minister, sir.” To this, he said, “Then tell the press.” He added pointedly, “Don’t talk too much, chechi.”

The exchange did not end there. Gopi reiterated publicly, “Tell your Chief Minister to accept the money recovered by the ED.” Anandavalli responded, “How am I supposed to meet the Chief Minister, sir? I don’t know the way.”

Gopi then asked, “Isn’t your Minister staying nearby?” Anandavalli shot back, “Aren’t you the Minister?” To which Gopi clarified, “I’m not your local Minister—I’m a Minister of the nation.”

The actor-politician said he had learned six months ago that the Department of Cooperation had advised accepting the ED-seized funds, and that he could ask the ED to clarify the current status of the case.

The event, organised by the BJP Irinjalakuda Mandalam Committee, also saw Devassi, an 82-year-old goods auto driver from Mapranam Erattuparambu, approach the Minister with his own grievance. He said he was unable to pay vehicle tax because officials had withheld his welfare fund.

Devassi, whose wife Philomina died after being unable to access funds from her Karuvannur Bank deposit for medical treatment, asked when he would receive his pension. He said the RTO had told him that pension disbursement did not fall under their department.

Suresh Gopi has recently invited wrath after he refused to accept a petition from an elderly man named Kochu Velayudhan citing that it was not his job. He was attending a similar public interaction programme at Pullu in Thrissur.