Month-long celebrations on EMS Ministry anniversary

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 28 (UNI) A month-long programmes to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first elected Government in Kerala will be launched here on April 5.

Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan told newspersons here after a meeting of the state Cabinet that Governor R L Bhatia would inaugurate the programme at a function to be organised at the old Legislature Hall.

Former Chief Ministers of the State would be invited for the function.

On the decision of the Congress not to participate in the programmes, Mr Achuthanandan said the party would have its own reservations as it had accepted money from the CIA to bring down that Government.

''We decided to celebrate the anniversary in view of the contributions made by the first Government in social and land reforms in the State,'' he added.

During that time, two Malayalam newspapers had also reportedly received money from the CIA, he alleged.

Asked whether any newspaper in Kerala was still receiving money from the American agency, he said the State Government had limitations to probe such things. It was for the CBI to look into it and bring out the facts.

''But there is a doubt in the case of one newspaper which is publishing news reports against me for the past nine-and-a-half months,'' he added.

UNI