Thiruvananthapuram, Senior CPI leader P Rajeev on Tuesday alleged that Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan and sponsors were taking key government decisions without the knowledge of ministers and officials.
Referring to the recent grant of bar licences to some hotels in the state allegedly without the knowledge of Excise Minister M Liju or senior officials in his department, Rajeev asked, "Who is ruling Keralam?"
Answering his own question, he told reporters that the CM and sponsors were running the state and taking decisions on administrative matters without the knowledge of the ministers concerned.
CPI state secretary M V Govindan also criticised the grant of bar licences, saying that approvals were being issued without the knowledge of the minister.
Govindan said that under the previous LDF government, bar licences for hotels rated above three stars were issued only after a thorough assessment of the establishments.
"Now, licences are being given without the knowledge of the minister. That is the surprising part," he claimed.
Referring to the CM's directive to cancel the order sanctioning repair works worth over ₹1 crore at his official residence, Cliff House, Govindan alleged that the government first approved such expenditure and withdrew the order only after the issue came under scrutiny.
{{/usCountry}}Referring to the CM's directive to cancel the order sanctioning repair works worth over ₹1 crore at his official residence, Cliff House, Govindan alleged that the government first approved such expenditure and withdrew the order only after the issue came under scrutiny.
{{/usCountry}}"First they allow it, and then they withdraw it when some problem occurs. It shows their double standards," he alleged.
He further said that the CPI was not afraid of any kind of investigation into the grant of bar licences.
Liju had on Monday said that the government would investigate whether officials had shown any "unwanted hastiness" in granting liquor licences to bars.
He had claimed that under the existing rules, framed by the previous LDF government, licences could be issued within 24 hours, even to bars that had remained closed for several years.
Alleging that certain loopholes in the rules introduced by the previous government had facilitated the process, he said, "It will be investigated why hasty decisions were taken and why even the Excise Commissioner was not informed about the grant of licences. Everything will be investigated, and all loopholes will be closed."
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