Thiruvananthapuram: BJP state president K Surendran on Wednesday demanded an explanation from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the alleged 1500-acre land deal between controversial businessman Farris Aboobacker and Sobha Developers.
A story appeared on a news portal that claimed Pinarayi's involvement in the deal. Opposition Congress too had raised the issue after the news came out.
The news story alleged that Farris and Sobha Developers purchased 1500 acre land in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in the name of fake companies with the help of the chief minister. it was also alleged that they also illegally levelled paddy fields.
Though the news report was widely discussed on social media platforms, neither the CM nor CPM has issued any comment on it yet. Commenting on their silence, Surendran said that CM should clarify the allegations against him.
“It is alleged that the state government amended the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act in 2018 for protecting such illegal land. Farris Aboobacker is Pinarayi Vijayan's close friend. It triggered heated discussions within CPM. How could Farris and his team violate the law of the land? For whom did they purchase a bulk of land? We need answers to these questions,” said Surendran.
“The state government should demand inquiry under central agencies if they can't initiate a probe. Controversial firm SRIT is also facing new allegations in the land deal. This company is involved in almost all illegal deals. The public wants to know how SRIT manages to obtain government contracts easily. The government should disclose the link between SRIT with Chief Minister and his cabinet,” he added.
Taking a dig at opposition leader VD Satheesan, the BJP state president noted that Satheesan summoned a press meeting on the land scam without being aware of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's involvement in the deal. Surendran said Satheesan would now be silent on the land deal.
