Latest news with #VDSatheesan
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Cong will defend Christians against attacks: Satheesan
Kochi: Christian priests in Odisha were attacked by the same people who visit homes in Kerala with cakes during Christmas and Easter. The Congress will put up a defence in places where Christians are being attacked on a regular basis, opposition leader V D Satheesan told reporters in Kochi on Sunday after visiting the priests who were attacked in Odisha. He said shocking details about the attack in Odisha were revealed by the Catholic priests from Kerala. A large group broke open doors, brutally assaulted the priest, looted belongings, and even viciously attacked a 90-year-old priest, Satheesan said. "Fr Leenus was tied up and beaten before being locked in a room. Fr Silvi was also beaten after being tied up. After an hour and a half, the priests tried to untie themselves and open the door but in vain. It was a nearby temple priest who heard the noise and rescued them," Satheesan said. This is not an isolated incident. Widespread attacks are occurring in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Ahmedabad, and Chhattisgarh, he added. The govt has reportedly instructed looters to target all Christian institutions within two months, Satheesan said. Police have taken a stance that nothing can be done even if complaints are filed. "Priests are being attacked by Bajrang Dal activists and organizations connected to Sangh Parivar. Nationwide attacks against Christians are increasing. The bishop of Jabalpur stated that attacks are happening every day. Even nuns on tourist visits are being attacked under the pretext of religious conversion," Satheesan said. Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, Ernakulam MLA T J Vinod and DCC president Muhammed Shiyas accompanied Satheesan while visiting the priests at a private hospital in Kochi.
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Elections will be an opportunity to prosecute Pinarayi govt": Kerala LoP VD Satheesan on Nilambur by-elections
Ernakulam (Kerala) [India], May 31 (ANI): Kerala Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader VD Satheesan on Friday said that the upcoming Nilambur by-election would be treated as an opportunity to hold the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government accountable. He also confirmed that the first phase of the campaign work has been completed. 'We have already launched the election campaign, and our conventions are also going on... We will take it as an opportunity to prosecute the Pinarai government...' Satheesan told ANI. He added that preparations began a month ago and that significant voter outreach had already been achieved. 'We have completed our first round of election work and started our preparation a month ago. A total of 10,000 voters are enrolled in the election, out of which we have enrolled 8000...' he further added. The Nilambur by-election is scheduled for June 19, with counting to be held on June 23. The election was necessitated following the resignation of PV Anvar, an LDF-backed MLA who stepped down in January after being appointed the Convenor of the Kerala unit of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Earlier, on May 25, Malappuram District Congress Committee (DCC) President VS Joy stated that the party's high command would finalise the candidate for the bypoll. Joy expressed confidence that the political climate in Malappuram heavily favoured the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). 'The high command will decide the candidate. The candidate is merely a technicality. The atmosphere in Malappuram is such that anyone who becomes the candidate will win,' Joy told reporters here. Meanwhile, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Sunny Joseph welcomed the announcement of the by-election and said it would serve as a referendum on the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government's performance. 'We welcome the declaration of the Nilambur byelection, though it is late. The UDF (United Democratic Front) and the Congress party are well prepared for the election... This election will be a verdict against the anti-people policies and programmes of the LDF (Left Democratic Front), their political atrocities, criminalisation of the police force, and the human-animal conflict being neglected by the government...' Joseph told ANI. (ANI)
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt's tall claims collapsing like NH: Oppn leader
K ottayam: The progress report of the state govt, which is a self-praising exercise, has in reality brought out the shortcomings of the govt, said opposition leader V D Satheesan. Speaking at a meet-the-press event at Kottayam Press Club on Saturday, Satheesan said that since the report was prepared before the collapse of the national highway (NH), the report takes the credit for constructing the NH in the state. However, later on, the CM put the onus on the Centre and said that the state has no role. Satheesan also said that cracks have appeared in around 100 spots on the NH. The tall claims put up by the LDF govt are collapsing like the NH, he said. More cracks are likely in the rains ahead. He also said that the constructions along the NH are unscientific. The state PWD is reiterating that everything is being examined and observed in detail. Those who claimed the credit for the NH are not to be seen after cracks appeared. In an apparent dig at PWD minister P A Mohamed Riyas, Satheesan said that it would be better if reels are shot from the places where cracks have appeared. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Satheesan also reminded that the proposed SilverLine project is an environmental disaster. He said that the UDF will not allow its implementation even if the LDF govt gets permission from the Centre. "UDF took such a decision based on a detailed study. The project was introduced even without a DPR. K-Rail will ruin the state financially as well as ecologically. During the rainy season, boats will have to be used along K-Rail," he said. Satheesan also alleged that what the CM said about the NH was all wrong. The CM said that the NHAI shut down during the UDF rule. The opinion since the time of V S Achuthanandan govt was that the road should be built in 30m. All parties were on strike at that time due to the difficulty in acquiring land. It was only after the UPA govt brought the Right to Fair Compensation Act in 2013 that land could be acquired by paying eight to 10 lakh for each cent. It was because of that law the govt was able to acquire land. In 2014, the UDF govt held an all-party meeting and issued an order allowing the Centre to build a road in 45m, he said. Another claim by the chief minister and others is that the Kerala govt has given Rs 5,000cr to acquire the land. State govts can help in acquiring the land according to the value capture finance model introduced by the central govt in 2021. According to the reply in Parliament, up to 100% of the land has been acquired by states like Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Himachal, and West Bengal. Despite this, the state govt is claiming the Rs 5,000cr given as credit. In this situation, has the Kerala govt signed a value capture finance agreement? If so, the govt should disclose its details, Satheesan said.
The Print
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
LoP terms claims in LDF govt's progress report as false
Referring to the ongoing controversy surrounding the damage to various sections of NH-66, Satheesan reiterated his allegation that the construction was 'unscientific and faulty' and that 'no soil testing' was carried out before building the highway. Satheesan, at a press conference here, contended that all the claims of the Left government have collapsed, like the various sections of the National Highway(NH)-66 during the recent rains. Kottayam(Kerala), May 24 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday alleged that none of the claims the LDF government made in a progress report it issued to itself at the conclusion of its 4th anniversary celebrations were correct. He said that the UDF never opposed the widening of the NH-66, but it and other political parties, including the Left and the BJP, had opposed the acquisition of the land for the project as the compensation being given was meagre. He claimed that after the UPA government enacted the Right to Fair Compensation Act in 2013, land acquisition became easier as the compensation amount increased manifold and people came forward offering their plots for the project. Satheesan also rejected the CPI(M) contention that Kerala was the only state to pay for land acquisition for NH development. He said that according to a reply given in the Parliament, several states, including Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal, have contributed towards the cost of land acquisition, in some cases even upto 100 per cent. The opposition leader said that this was done as part of the Value Capture Finance Model — a scheme the central government brought in 2021 — which permits state governments to help in land acquisition. He said that the state government should disclose the agreement, if any, it entered into as part of that scheme. Satheesan alleged that initially the state government and its The Public Works Department (PWD) claimed they were carefully scrutinising every phase of the NH construction and after the work was completed they claimed credit for it. 'Now that cracks have appeared in hundreds of places along the NH, they are nowhere to be seen. CM has now said that the state government has nothing to do with the NH development and the entire responsibility lies with National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Centre,' he contended. He also alleged that the state government has no complaints against the NHAI or the Centre for the damages to the NH at various places. Besides the highways, the state government, in its progress report, has also claimed credit for the Vizhinjam port, the public healthcare system in the state, implementing the GAIL gas pipeline and the various welfare schemes among others, Satheesan contended. He claimed that the state government can only claim credit for delaying the Vizhinjam port, collapse of various welfare boards in the state and the crores of arrears of pensions and DA to be paid to current and retired government employees. He also claimed that it was one of the ministers in the current LDF administration who opposed to the GAIL pipeline during the Oommen Chandy government. Satheesan also alleged that collection and storage of coconuts and paddy have failed in the state and the government did not increase the minimum support price of rubber to Rs 250 as promised by it. He said that the only thing the UDF opposed was the K-Rail's Silverline project and asserted that this initiative will never be allowed in Kerala. PTI HMP HMP ADB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Satheesan slams speech of RSS ideologue at Raj Bhavan
T'puram: Opposition leader V D Satheesan has strongly criticised the recent political speech made by RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy at a Raj Bhavan event organized under the banner of ' Operation Sindoor '. Satheesan, speaking to the media at the KPCC headquarters on Thursday, called the act "unfortunate and inappropriate" and demanded that the state govt formally convey its protest to the governor. He clarified that while there was no objection to the event itself, Raj Bhavan platform is not the place for political remarks against past govts or prime ministers. "If it's a seminar, bring in military experts or foreign policy professionals. Calling an RSS leader to make political statements is unbecoming," he said. The opposition has demanded a clear stance from the chief minister on this issue and criticized the governor's conduct for allowing political narratives to be pushed through Raj Bhavan. He said the govt must clarify whether media organizations were paid for promoting the 4th anniversary of the govt beyond advertisements. He accused the govt of paying media houses and online platforms for coverage aimed at promoting individual ministers rather than informing the public. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo "Let the CM say such payments weren't made" he said. He reiterated that he was questioning the govt, not the media. "It was the industries minister who twisted my question as an attack on journalists. I never criticized journalists." On the condition of national highways, the opposition leader slammed the state govt for taking credit for projects without ensuring quality. "Small rains have left the national highways cracked across Kerala. We warned about unscientific construction. Where are those who put up flex boards claiming credit now?" he asked. He alleged that by bypassing soil tests and scientific procedures, the state was responsible for poor roadwork. "Flooding is inevitable during the monsoon because canals and water bodies were covered for construction. There was no coordination by the state in implementing centrally funded NH projects," he said, adding that he would write to Union minister Nitin Gadkari demanding a thorough probe into the construction of NHs in the state. "There was no proper engineering supervision. The same govt that glorified the highways during its anniversary is now silent as the roads collapse," he said. He also flagged the internal discord among ministers over Smart City road projects. "We learnt about ministerial disagreements from the media. There is more to come," he said.
