Row in Kerala after Opposition leader not invited to Vizhinjam port inauguration
Ports Minister VN Vasavan defended the government, stating on Tuesday that Satheesan was indeed invited on official letterhead. But the explanation has done little to contain the political fallout.Satheesan on Wednesday said he received an official invitation only after public criticism erupted over his omission. 'I was invited only after the controversy broke out,' he said, referring to a letter sent by Ports Minister VN Vasavan.Satheesan, however, questioned the nature of the invitation, saying it lacked clarity. 'The letter did not state why I was being invited or whether I am a participant or just an attendee. There wasn't even a programme notice along with it,' he said.advertisementKerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K Sudhakaran sharpened the attack, accusing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of political manoeuvring. 'The Chief Minister embarrassed himself by trying to keep the opposition leader away from the inauguration of the Dream Project,' Sudhakaran said.He further alleged that inviting Modi while excluding Satheesan was a strategy by Vijayan to cosy up to the BJP and escape scrutiny in a case involving the Chief Minister's daughter. 'Pinarayi, who didn't even mention Oommen Chandy during last year's celebration when the first ship arrived, should correct that mistake now. He tried to take credit for the port even as a family affair,' Sudhakaran wrote, demanding the port be named after Chandy, who he described as the real architect of the project.The Rs 8,867-crore Vizhinjam port, developed by Adani Ports under a public-private partnership model, is being hailed as a game-changer for India's maritime logistics. The project received its commercial commissioning certificate in December 2023, with full operations expected by 2028.
IN THIS STORY#Kerala#Pinarayi Vijayan
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
a few seconds ago
- The Hindu
LDF and UDF ratchet up their demand for Suresh Gopi to clarify voter list fraud accusations
As accusations of voter list fraud in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 general elections appeared to turn from a trickle into a torrent, the ruling front and the opposition in Kerala ratcheted up their demand for a public accounting from Union Minister of State for Tourism, Suresh Gopi, MP. Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] general secretary, M.A. Baby, dismissed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) former State president K. Surendran's averment that Mr. Gopi owed no explanation and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) were grousing belatedly about Election Commission of India (ECI) officials in Thrissur stacking the odds in favour of the Union Minister. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Mr. Baby said: 'Belated reporting of a theft did not absolve the perpetrator of the crime. The BJP's voter fraud in Thrissur is a microcosm of what the BJP-engineered in other States. The modus operandi, including identity theft, reflects a pattern. The Election Commission of India (ECI) should retrieve its lost credibility by conducting a thorough investigation', he said. Meanwhile, Mr. Gopi, who arrived after a long hiatus in Thrissur early Wednesday, appeared to maintain a sphinx-like silence. When mobbed by reporters, Mr. Gopi quipped: 'Thank you for the favours done'. Congress speak Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said Mr. Gopi's reticence was a deliberate attempt to cock a snook at the Thrissur electorate and civil society. 'Mr. Gopi has the right of reply, given the gravity of the accusations of voter fraud swirling around him and the BJP in Kerala. His speechlessness lends credibility to Congress's accusations of massive voter list fraud in Thrissur each passing hour,' Mr. Satheesan said. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala adduced evidence of what he claimed was massive voter list fraud by CPI(M) and BJP since 2021. He said the BJP appeared to have taken a page from the CPI(M) 's playbook on rigging elections. 'It included persons appearing in multiple voters' lists across districts and fictitious voters using phoney addresses and identity proof', he added.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a few seconds ago
- Business Standard
India negotiates trade deals firmly and on equal footing: Jitin Prasada
India negotiates free trade agreements with nations on an equal footing with adequate firmness, as the country has changed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said on Wednesday. He said that India's economic growth is progressing rapidly. "When we do FTAs with different talk on equal footing. This is the new India. We put forth our point of view forcefully," he said. The minister was speaking at the inauguration of the newly-expanded ISA building of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in Dwarka here. His remarks come at a time when India is negotiating trade pacts with a number of countries including the US, European Union, Peru, Chile and New Zealand. With the US, five rounds of talks have been held so far. India has clearly stated that it can not compromise on agri, and dairy sectors, a key demand of the US. Inaugurating the building, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said innovation is not only a form of intellectual property but also a symbol of sovereignty, and it will play a crucial role in taking India forward in the world. He emphasized that in every developed country, innovation, new ideas, research, and development are priorities, and it is through such innovation that these nations have prospered. The expanded facility can now accommodate over 700 personnel, compared to the earlier capacity of 200 in the old 6,082-square-foot IPO building. The project, costing about Rs 88 crore, features modern architectural design to maximise workspace and promote efficiency.
The Hindu
a few seconds ago
- The Hindu
Edappadi K. Palaniswami allied with BJP without consulting party: Mutharasan
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) without consulting his party, prompting members to leave the party, alleged the State secretary of the Communist Party of India, R. Mutharasan, on Wednesday. Mr. Mutharasan told journalists in Salem that BJP had pressured Mr. Palaniswami into joining hands with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 'In an attempt to strengthen his party's unity, Mr. Palaniswami is trying to create anger among his supporters by alleging that Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan spoke ill of former leaders M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa,' he claimed . 'He (Mr. Palaniswami) is targeting Mr. Thirumavalavan to divert the anger of the AIADMK cadre away from himself,' he added. Mr. Palaniswami and other AIADMK functionaries are running a 'low-level campaign' against Mr. Thirumavalavan on social media and the CPI has condemned it, he said. On the arrest of Madurai Mayor's husband in a property tax scam, Mr. Mutharasan said action must be taken against all those found guilty and, if the Mayor's role was proven, the government should act without hesitation. Criticising the Election Commission, he alleged it had lost its independence and become subservient to the BJP, posing a threat to democracy. Citing the deletion of 65 lakh voters, he claimed names of BJP supporters were retained while opponents were removed. He accused the Union government of forcing Aadhaar for all services despite the Supreme Court ruling that such compulsion was unacceptable. Voter ID and ration cards could be easily forged, a fact acknowledged by the court. India was facing 'gradual democratic erosion' and could soon see BJP critics stripped of citizenship. He urged the public to prepare for a 'second freedom struggle.' Mr. Mutharasan added that thousands of crores lent to fraud-hit companies were written off as non-performing assets, while ordinary citizens struggled to secure and repay small loans. Farmers unable to repay debts were ending their lives, but major defaulters faced no action, he alleged. On actor Mansoor Ali Khan's comment that North Indian migrants should not be included in Tamil Nadu's voter rolls, the CPI leader said large-scale, politically motivated additions and deletions were under way, and the party opposed such practices.
