Members of the Opposition kept the case against CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s son Binoy Kodiyeri alive by seeking a discussion in the Assembly on Tuesday.
Anil Akkara, who gave notice for an adjournment motion, said the wrongdoings of Mr. Balakrishnan and his relatives and two prominent MLAs of the ruling party within and outside the country had affected the credibility of Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKs) and the future of the Loka Kerala Sabha.
He accused the government of committing serious lapses in probing the cases and covering up the issue.
ADVERTISEMENT
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government was not linked to the issue in any manner and Mr. Balakrishnan and the CPI(M) had clarified that neither he nor the party had any involvement in it.
The issue was being tossed up to undermine the Loka Kerala Sabha by dragging it into a controversy.
Wards of many political leaders were NoRKs and some of them were businessmen. They involved in financial transactions and issued cheques. Binoy too had made such transactions, but such issues were settled among the business partners.
ADVERTISEMENT
The government and the Assembly had no role in such issues.
Parliamentary space was never used to discuss cases involving the relatives of political leaders that were discussed by the media.
Cases against Karthik Chidambaram, Robert Vadra, and Jay Shah were never discussed in Parliament.
The notice was politically motivated and smacked of a conspiracy, he said.
Clarification
E.P. Jayarajan then clarified that his son had helped a NoRK businessman’s son-in-law and had not defrauded anyone.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the issue was not flagged by the Opposition but by CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
Earlier, Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan said rules did not permit the discussion of an issue on the basis of news reports, but he was granting permission to give notice considering it as a privilege of the Opposition.
Based on the government explanation, Mr. Sreeramakrishnan denied leave for the motion and the Opposition walked out in protest.