Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led UDF on Saturday staged a protest in front of the State Secretariat on the second anniversary of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government and submitted its charge sheet underlining the “gross misgovernance” the state is undergoing.
Right from early morning, the protesters blocked three of the four gates of the Secretariat – the seat of Vijayan’s office and the state government machinery till the protest got over around 12.30 p.m.
Leading the protest, Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan said that the Vijayan government is mired in massive corruption especially in the installation of AI cameras, K-Phone and numerous others.
“The Vijayan government has let down the people of the state by inflicting on them additional taxes leading to a huge price rise. Be it in the health, women safety, crime rate, agriculture or any other sector, Vijayan has miserably failed and they are not even eligible to be given a pass mark,” said Satheesan.
State Congress president K.Sudhakaran said the highlight of the second Vijayan government is massive corruption and surprisingly this is being undertaken by none other than Vijayan.
RSP secretary Shibhu Baby John said since they respect the people’s verdict, they will have to continue to suffer this most-corrupt and inefficient Vijayan government for three more years.
C.P.John, who heads the CMP, an ally of the Opposition, said the most striking feature about this government is the massive protest taking place the same day a new Congress government is being installed in Karnataka.
“The reason for the decimation of the BJP government is it was hugely corrupt and just like how the people there showed the door to that government, the people here have decided that the same fate will befall Vijayan,” said John.
Meanwhile, State Finance Minister K.N.Balagopal said that these protests don’t mean anything.
“Even after two years have lapsed, the opposition is yet to come to terms with the reality that the Vijayan-led Left got a second successive term and the people are strongly behind the state government,” said Balagopal.
Senior CPI leader and State Animal Husbandry Minister J.Chinchurani said these protests are quite natural and had they been in the opposition they too would have protested.
Vijayan was sworn in for a second successive time on May 20, 2021, surprising many.
(IANS)
