Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has demanded that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy resign for ‘having committed breach of his oath of office’ by suppressing facts and submitting to the Union government a report favouring the promoters of the Aranmula airport project. In a statement here on Saturday, Mr. Achuthanandan termed a ‘blatant lie’ the Chief Minister’s claim that all the clearances for the airport project were given by the last Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, and that the transfer of registry had taken place with its blessing.
Contrary to Mr. Chandy’s claim, the LDF government had issued clear instructions to the officials concerned not to permit transfer of registry, and its attempt all along was to ensure that the promoters of the project complied with all the relevant laws.
The Chief Minister had cited a jotting on a memorandum from the local MLA of the time to contend that the LDF government had given clearance for transfer of registry. This was nothing but a trick to fool the people, he said.
CM refutes chargesChief Minister Oommen Chandy said his government did not give permission to fill even an inch of land for the proposed airport at Aranmula. Talking to reporters in Kochi, Mr. Chandy said everything with regard to the project was done by the previous government.
He said the then Chief Minister had instructed the Collector to facilitate transfer of registry and report the matter. This government had no role in it.
