Chief Coordinator of the political outfit Twenty20 and noted industrialist Sabu M Jacob has challenged Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to arrest him over the police complaints filed by CPM’s Kunnathunad MLA P V Sreenijin.
“If I am arrested, I will ensure that the Chief Minister’s daughter also lands behind the bars within a week,” said Jacob.
“The proof I have in my possession (against the Chief Minister’s daughter) is like an atom bomb,” said the industrialist-politician during his speech at a mega event organised by Twenty20 at Kizhakkambalam on Sunday.
Jacob also warned the MLA who has been targeting him for some time and CPM workers not to mess with him, as he “knew everything about the Chief Minister.”
Excerpts from Sabu Jacob’s speech:
“We conducted a public meeting at Poothrikka panchayat a month ago as part of launching our party there. The day after the event, the police began searching for me. There were several problems at the meeting. The MLA and his followers disconnected the Internet which we had arranged to stream the event live. We could resume the live streaming only after a couple of hours. But the MLA blocked the live programme again with a jammer.
“The venue of the event, the ground of St Peter’s College, has hosted innumerable programmes over the last 65 years. In fact, the Nava Kerala Sadas of the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues took place at the same ground two weeks before Twenty20’s programme.
“Though the police initially gave permission to hold our event, it was later withdrawn, with the police pointing out that some part of the ground was ‘puramboke’ (government) land. It was after 65 years that they noticed that 'puramboke' land was involved! That too, when Twenty20 announced that it will conduct an event at the ground.
“I was not sure if the event could be held here till now. In fact, I have been visiting various police stations in this connection for the past week.
“All this is because of the MLA you elected. I have no idea about the number of criminal cases filed against me by the MLA and his supporters. The police can arrest me anytime. I am forced to regularly approach the courts seeking directives to prevent my arrest.
“However, I wish to state that if at all my arrest takes place, I will ensure that the Chief Minister’s dear daughter is jailed in a week's time. What is in my possession is not some ordinary bomb carried by Swapna (the main accused in the diplomatic gold smuggling case), but an atom bomb. This is my warning to the MLA and his party comrades who are targeting me.
“The 21 ministers in Kerala travel to places such as America, London, Japan and Korea with tax payer's money. I too have accompanied them on these foreign tours and know everything about these jaunts. I am a witness to how these ministers enjoy these trips. This is a cross I have to bear
“I have also accompanied Pinarayi Vijayan every time he has travelled abroad during the last five years and I am aware of each one of his programmes. When he was under treatment at Mayo Clinic in the US, I was there with him for 32 days. I even helped him to the washroom and back to his bed. But, he did not show the courtesy to return those gestures. I was attacked from all sides like a dog. When the MLA here, the district leader of his party and the Industries Minister ganged up to target me, Pinarayi kept quiet. I could have launched a war against him at that time. I didn’t resort to such an action at that time because I belong to a family that doesn’t engage in betrayal of trust. However, the present situation has compelled me to speak out.”
‘No plan to ally with other parties’
In his speech, Sabu Jacob also said that he had no plans to join any other political party. He also made light of the protests announced by DYFI, the youth wing of the CPM, against him.
“Some time ago, all political parties staged regular protests at my office. However, few such programmes were witnessed recently,” said Jacob.
The DYFI, which announced a protest at his office, changed the venue to Jacob’s house. But no DYFI activists reached his house. Instead, an effigy of Jacob was burnt in Kizhakkambalam town. Jacob teased the DYFI to stage at least a weekly protest against him.
“I have no difficulty in getting a seat of CPM, Congress or BJP to contest an election,” he added.
“Before the 2021 Assembly elections, senior Congress leaders Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan visited my house and offered our party three to five seats. We discussed the matter from 10 am to 2 pm. If I were keen to become an MLA or Minister, I simply had to say ‘yes,’” said Jacob.
“Similarly, LDF leaders also reached my house. They included CPM’s district secretary, CITU’s state secretary, former secretaries and even Industries Minister P Rajeeve. These LDF leaders held five meetings with me. Let them deny it. If they deny, I can show them videos of the discussions as evidence,” he said.
Jacob also revealed that the BJP, AAP and Congress had offered him a Rajya Sabha seat. “But some TV channels reported that BJP state president K Surendran met me and offered the Ernakulam Lok Sabha seat. The truth is that I have never met Surendran or even spoken to him over the phone. The aim of the TV channels was to brand me as a BJP man and prevent people from attending today's event,” he said.
