CPI(M)using Government machinery to silence opponents:Chandy

Kottayam, July 16 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Oommen Chandy today took great exception to the manner in which the CPI(M) was using Government machinery to wound the pride of political opponents.

Talking to newspersons here, he charged that the vigilance inquiry announcement of State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan against KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala on corruption charges was part of CPI(M)'s deliberate attempt to ridicule political opponents.

Government machinery was being used in violation of the existing system to destroy political opponents, he alleged.

The corruption charges against Mr Chennithala were raised about two years ago by Mr Hakeem. In reply to a legal notice through Mr Chennithala's Advocate T R Ramachandran, Hakeem's Counsel had withdrawn the charges and the issue was a closed chapter.

Now it was raised to counter party organ ''Deshabhimani'' and other corruption charges against the CPI(M) leaders and was part of the blackmail tactics of the CPI(M) to silence the opposition, the UDF and the Congress party, he contended.

People would not tolerate CPI(M)'s tactics to suppress the opponents, instead of correcting its own mistakes, he said.

The Congress party was not against the vigilance inquiry, but opposing the manner in which Government machinery was being used for political gains, he said and added that it would be opposed strongly.

UNI