Pinarayi Vijayan should apologise : Chennithala

Kochi, Oct 15 (UNI) Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Ramesh Chennithala today urged CPI (M) State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan to apologise for his ''unwarranted'' remarks regarding the 'last sacrament' of Marxist MLA Mathai Chacko.

Addressing medipersons after the party's high-level leadership meeting here, he said the statement of Mr Vijayan against the Thamarassery Bishop for arranging the administration of the ritual for Mr Chacko, who died last year, was ''unjustifiable'' and had hurt the religious sentiments of people.

During a function organised to observe the first death anniversary of Mr Chacko at Thiruvambady on Saturday, Mr Vijayan had strongly criticised the Church for claiming that Mr Chacko had received the last sacrament in a conscious state of mind.

'' The Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government and the CPI(M) are targeting the minorities through their deeds and words,'' Mr Chennithala alleged.

On the Merchiston land deal, he reiterated that the Government should order a CBI or judicial inquiry against Forests Minister Binoy Viswom.

On the condition of roads across the State, Mr Chennithala said the Government did not undertake the requisite pre-monsoon works and failed in maintaining roads.

'' The Centre had alloted Rs one lakh crore for the development of highways across the country, but the Kerala Government did not claim its share of Rs 3,500 crore,'' he claimed.

He said the United Democratic Front (UDF) would convene a meeting on October 17 in Thiruvananthapuram to chalk out the future course of action against the Government's ''failure'' to tackle the issue.

UNI