THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Secretariat March organized by the main Opposition party, CPI(M), has sparked intense criticism after allegations surfaced that the demonstration is aimed solely at protecting Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan rather than addressing public grievances.
The political standoff erupted following the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) letter to the State Director General of Police (DGP). The ED urged the state authorities to register a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act over illegal monthly payments allegedly received by Pinarayi Vijayan via his daughter Veena Vijayan’s firm, Exalogic Solutions, from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL).
Acting on legal advice, the state government initiated a preliminary probe into the serious allegations against Pinarayi Vijayan and former minister P. A. Mohamed Riyas.
Alarmed by the ongoing investigation and potential Vigilance or Crime Branch action, the CPI(M) leadership has called for a Secretariat March. Critics and political analysts point out that the party is attempting to convert a clear case of financial corruption into a political battleground to shield its top leader and his family from legal accountability.
