CM's protest before Parliament to cover his setbacks: Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 9 (UNI) Coming down heavily on Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan's decision to stage a sit-in before Parliament to protest against the Centre's 'neglect' of the State, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Oommen Chandy today alleged that it was a political move to cover up his political setbacks.

Asking the Chief Minister to provide a charge sheet on the Centre's neglect of the State, he told reporters here that Mr Achuthanandan should spell out the state demands denied by the Centre.

Mr Chandy said it was shameful on his part to stage a sit-in for not getting the due monsoon relief from the National Calamity Contingency Fund, when the state government had not forwarded its demands properly and failed to fulfill the procedures for getting the fund.

''Mr Achuthanandan declared on July 29 that he would stage a sit-in before Parliament. But the demand for relief was sent on July 30 and reached the Centre on August 3,'' Mr Chandy added.

The Centre had fulfilled all the demands of the state, including the take over of the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology. The proposal for starting an Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology here was also in the pipeline, he said.

UNI