Mani has no prick of conscience: Balakrishna Pillai

Finance Minister K.M. Mani is a man who is immune to any prick of conscience, R. Balakrishna Pillai, leader of the Kerala Congress (B), has said.

“Since long, I am aware of the fact that Mani is a man who does not have any conscience. Had he some conscience he would have resigned in the wake of the strong observations made against him in the bar bribe case.” Mr. Pillai said this while inaugurating a meeting here on Monday to commemorate the death anniversary of former Minister M.V. Raghavan. He said the expenses for Mr. Mani in the appeal against the Vigilance court verdict were met through the State exchequer.

First in history

“It is for the first time in the history of the State that the exchequer is made to meet such an expense”.

“There was a corruption case against me but I met all the expenses for that case. But to save Mr. Mani from a corruption case, the State spent more than Rs.25 lakh and I have the proof for that,” Mr. Pillai said.

Big shame

In view of the High Court observations on Monday, if Mani was not made to step down, it would be a big shame and a black mark for the State, he said.

No one in the State believes that Mr. Mani was innocent in the bar bribe case.

“It is the organisation of lawyers sympathetic to the Congress which raised the allegation that appointments as government pleaders and judges to the consumer courts are made on the basis of bribes,” he said.

Mr. Pillai also observed that the time had dawned for launching the second freedom movement in the country.

He said Shahrukh Khan was the biggest entertainer after Amitabh Bachchan the country saw.

Communal hatred

But now, there was a concerted effort to incite communal hatred against him and it was unfortunate.

“Will the Sangh Parivar forces launch a movement to prevent rats from being killed because that animal is considered the vehicle of lord Ganesha,” he asked.