THE Kerala state secretariat of CPI(M), in a statement issued on July 10, 2020 said that the violent protests organised by the opposition in the name of the gold smuggling case to topple the LDF government, is a threat to human lives when Kerala is at the brink of Covid-19 community transmission.
Both the chief minister and the LDF government have made it clear that their demand is to bring to book the accused and the aids behind the gold smuggling case. Accordingly, the chief minister has even written to the prime minister for an enquiry by any appropriate central agency, including the NIA. NIA has started its investigation.
LDF government is not in the business of shielding smugglers. The experience of the past four years shows that the chief minister’s office is a seat of dignity and prestige as far as the people of Kerala are concerned. The present protests are only efforts to weaken the LDF government which has presented Kerala as a model to the world through its measures to resist the Covid-19 pandemic. Their hunger for power is evident in the protests being conducted in the name of the Thiruvananthapuram airport gold smuggling case.
At a time when the disease is spreading at an alarming rate, the protests are being conducted in violation of the Covid-19 Protocol. The protests have turned violent and even resulted in clashes with the police. This shows their scant regard for human lives. Both the UDF and the BJP and trying to bring ill-repute to the LDF government and the chief minister by peddling fake news. If they are wise, they should realise that the people’s sentiments are against their anarchist protests.
As appointed by the central government, the National Investigation Agency has already initiated their investigation in the gold smuggling case. Based on the information that is coming out, many will be booked if the investigation proceeds in the right direction. This has sent both the BJP and the UDF into a frenzy. The CPI(M) Kerala state secretariat said in its statement that it needs to be seen whether their protests are aimed at helping the real culprits behind the smuggling case or to mislead the investigation being done by the central agency.
