BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan has asked Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to clarify what action he had initiated to improve the lot of the residents of the Ambalakuzhi colony in Peravur where children had to rummage through rubbish heaps to keep away hunger.
Mr. Rajasekharan told reporters here on Wednesday that there is no meaning in Mr.Chandy taking umbrage over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech here comparing the plight of the colony residents with those in Somalia.
Real issue
He was only trying to focus public attention on the issue. Mr.Chandy objected to Mr.Modi’s speech since he was trying to suppress the real issue, he said.
On seeing such reports, Mr.Chandy should have visited the colony and initiated remedial action. Even a village officer has not visited the colony so far.
The residents were living in ramshackle huts and did not have even basic amenities such as toilets, he said.
The State government has failed even to implement the tribal welfare laws enacted by the Centre.
After incurring a debt of Rs.1.5 lakh crore, precious little is being done for the marginalised sections.
The rape and murder of a Scheduled Caste law student in Perumbavoor points to the plight of such sections.
The family’s request for a plot of land and a house went unheeded when the government was pursuing the zero-landless scheme, he said.
The next government would have to face serious challenges such as funds crunch, drinking water shortage and food scarcity, he said.
Referring to the Augusta Westland deal, Mr. Rajasekharan said that Mr.Modi had not mentioned Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s name in his speech. It was the Italian court wh
ich mentioned the name of Congress leaders, including Ms.Gandhi and Ahmed Patel, he said. The government has failed to unravel the mystery behind the fireworks tragedy at the Puttingal Devi temple.
Relief has not been given to the victims. No legal action has been taken too, he said.
Says the State has failed to implement the tribal welfare laws enacted by the Centre
