The Kozhikode city committee of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has come up in support of the Kozhikode Corporation in the Sanchaya issue.
A. Pradeep Kumar, MLA, told reporters here on Saturday that the Opposition parties, including the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP, were trying to divert public attention from the case through violent protests.
The LDF will organise a public protest at Muthalakkulam grounds on July 6. Elamaram Kareem, MP, will inaugurate the protest, he said.
Hinting that one of the seven persons arrested in the case was a UDF supporter, the MLA said the front had vested interests in the case.
Endorsing Mayor Beena Philip’s decision not to act against the Corporation Secretary, Mr. Pradeepkumar said the suspended officials were responsible for the password leak. He added that the argument that they lacked technical expertise to manage the software could not be accepted, as officials were given elaborate training before the software was launched. Besides, the Corporation Secretary had personally chastised the employees when the issue was reported, he added.
“This is our chance to put an end to all sorts of corruption involving the Kozhikode Corporation. All corrupt officials should be exposed and punished. The LDF will take action against such officials,” Mr. Pradeep Kumar said. He added that the presence of agents in the Corporation office or a weak software were not reasons for the malpractice.
Deputy Mayor C.P. Musafir Ahamed, Tax and Appeal Standing Committee chairman P.K. Nassar, and former councillor P. Kishanchand were present
Meanwhile, the UDF, in a press release, accused the ruling front of attempting to divert attention from the case, keeping the Corporation Secretary in the front. The report of the Regional Joint Director of the Department of Local Self Governments clearly states how undisciplined the administration of the Corporation is. The report says that the scam would not have happened if the administration had responded well when some officials had pointed out anomalies in the software. The secretary did not even report the scam to the local fund audit office, the release added.
