Solar scam: LDF workers lay siege to govt secretariat

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 12: With CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala moving ahead with its plan to lay siege to the state secretariat from today over the solar scam, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday appealed to the opposition to carry out the stir peacefully.

At the same time, he warned that government would be compelled to act tough if the situation slipped out of hand.

Protesters from across the state started trickling in to the city since this morning with the LDF planning to mobilise about one lakh volunteers even as the government supplemented the state police with nearly 2000 central para military personnel, who are kept as reserve.

Making a last-minute plea, Chandy said government would not come in the way of anybody's democratic right to stage peaceful protests but it was duty-bound to maintain rule of law.

Spurning the olive branch held out by Chandy, LDF leaders rejected the offer of talks asserting there was no compromise on the demand for his resignation.

The solar scam, rocking the state for some two months, has brought Chandy under a cloud, especially after the arrest of a personal assistant in his office for his alleged links with the accused. Another personal staff member and gunman have been removed from the CMO after coming under the shadow of suspicion.

The scam pertains to financial cheating of several people by the accused Biju Radkahrishnan and Saritha Nair, both under arrest, by offering clients solar energy solutions.The accused allegedly flaunted their clout with the CM's office for duping the unsuspecting clients of huge sums. Meanwhile, causing further embarrassment to Chandy, a local television channel on Sunday night beamed a photograph showing Saritha sharing a platform with him during a function in January last year.

PTI