Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said that leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennaithala was ashamed as his shadow game against KIIFB came to light. Isaac added that Chennithala was not answering important questions over the matter.
The Opposition leader must remember one thing about the SNC Lavalin case. The case was initiated based on a draft report by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The report stated that Rs 374 crore was spent without any benefits to the state and the total amount was wasted. This report was leaked to shower criticism for around 10 years, the minister said.
Later, the CAG corrected and filed the complete report. But even then, Ramesh Chennithala, who was the then Home Minister, was levelling allegations based on the draft report. Even to this day, he is levelling criticism based on the Rs 374 crore, he added.
The opposition leader and team thought they could play the same trick in the case of KIIFB but it did not work out. This has made Chennithala uncomfortable, Isaac said.
This is a matter of Kerala’s financial survival. Administrative sanction has been granted to projects worth Rs 50,000 crore. Tenders worth Rs 30,000 crore have been invited. But if anyone questions if these actions are constitutionally valid, the government cannot ignore it. These allegations are aimed at political gains, Isaac criticised.
Chennithala must explain how taking a loan is against the constitution. UDF must clarify if the state’s right to take loans must be removed. The UDF had taken loans using KIIFB in 2002 and 2003. It was the UDF which said that CAG audit was not needed in KIIFB and the same is being followed. UDF must first explain why they decided that CAG audit was not needed in KIIFB during their tenure, Issac added.
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