Vijayan cool as cucumber, reads from paper and ends press meet

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 29 (IANS) Despite facing tough times, when Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's former secretary M. Sivasankar was handed over to the ED's custody and his party state secretary's son Bineesh Kodiyeri was arrested by the ED in Bengaluru, Vijayan on Thursday appeared as cool as a cucumber.

Contrary to expectations, Vijayan made a surprise appearance to give out the daily Covid figures. After speaking about it, when the first question came about the day's developments, he said, "First let me answer questions on Covid."

And after that when a question was asked about the arrest of Sivasankar, he said, "if there are more questions on this topic, I will bunch them together and answer."

After seven questions were asked which included Bineesh's arrest, he took a piece of paper from his pocket and started reading from it, but there was nothing on the arrest of Bineesh.

He said, "I know all of you will have more questions and I also will have more to say, but the time fixed for this has ended, so I am leaving," said Vijayan and ended the press meet.

Before ending his press meet, reading from the piece of paper, he said baseless allegations are being spread by the opposition and they have increased after July.

"I have already said that this government will not protect or shield those who do wrong. When the gold smuggling case surfaced, it was I who wrote to the Prime Minister seeking a central probe by any agency. That's the major difference between the previous Congress-led UDF government, when it was said then that one's conscience is what guides issues (he was referring to then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's statement), while we immediately asked for a probe by any agency," said Vijayan.

"I did not know Sivasankar before, when I took over his name was given because he had worked in various departments. He was appointed as my officer on special duty and later elevated to secretary. The government need not be taken to task about what he did. This is his personal issue and hence the government need not be asked about moral issues. He was removed and suspended when his links came out and that's the stand of the government. We will not support any wrongdoers," added Vijayan.

He also took on Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and asked him to come clean if he differs with his party's national president Sonia Gandhi.

"While Gandhi said the Centre is using the national agencies, Chennithala said that's not happening in Kerala. I wish to know how come when one enters the Kerala border at Walayar (in Palakkad district) there is a change. Let him make things clear," added Vijayan.