Thiruvananthapuram: Reacting for the first time to the allegations against his daughter, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Veena started her business using his wife Kamala's pension funds.
He was responding to the discussions on the adjournment motion regarding the state's financial crisis.
"The allegations against me and my family are false. You can keep making the accusations. Let's see whether people accept them. I will not be affected by anything. I no longer hear people say that I have a palace-like house. Earlier the allegations were about my wife. Now they have turned to my daughter. We will not be affected by any of these," he said.
The CM accused the Center and the Opposition in Kerala of abandoning the interests of the state. "The Union government's decision, akin to financial sanction, is crushing the state. Higher education centres in Kerala are on a path to progress. This was when the honourable gentleman holding the post of Chancellor ventured to instal the advocates of communalisation through nomination knowing well that they would not be elected.
"Why did you hesitate to join hands with the Left organisations and students protesting against this? Why you are not ready to organise your own protest," he asked the opposition.
"The hasty move to impose a uniform civil code is a clear example of the anti-democratic approach of those in power at the Centre. Rest assured, every Left-wing legislator will resist the ambitions of the Sangh Parivar in Parliament firmly. Those who believe in democracy, those who appraise secular values and the working class can bank on this.
"Pessimists say Kerala is tax evaders' paradise. In the current financial year, the GST Intelligence Unit detected tax evasion of over Rs 2,000 crore and paid it to the exchequer. It has become a habit for some people to blame the government of spending excessively when we announce a celebration. Haven't the previous governments done this (organise such events)?" he said.
"How can you call Keraleeyam 2023 a waste of taxpayers' money? Propagandists are hiding the meaningful debates and discussions that took place as part of the conclave in which Nobel laureates and world-renowned experts participated. The government is taking further steps based on the valuable suggestions given by the experts.
"Similarly, you accused the Nava Kerala Sadas as another programme of wasting public money. The cabinet members visited all 140 assembly constituencies and received ideas and opinions from people working in various fields. The government is taking further steps based on this seriously," he said defending his government's public outreach programme.
"Kerala stands as a silver line of resistance against the big threats that our country is facing today from the totalitarian communal forces. Both the Central government and the Opposition in Kerala, which wholeheartedly supports those in power at the Centre, are protecting vested interests to put the state government under financial stress when we are trying to implement welfare activities and infrastructural development projects. No one should have any doubt that the LDF government will successfully move ahead with the huge support of the people by overcoming these challenges," he told the Assembly.
