Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Wednesday that there was nothing illegal in the arrest of former Idukki district secretary of the CPI(M) M.M. Mani on murder charges.
“The law is taking its course,” the Chief Minister said at his Cabinet briefing when reporters drew his attention to the protest by Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan against the arrest.
It was Mr. Mani himself who had admitted to the murders and the subsequent investigation showed that what Mr. Mani had said was true. The arrest was in accordance with the law and there was no undue haste. The law would be applicable in the same manner to leaders of the ruling United Democratic Front as well.
Mr. Chandy stressed that it was not the policy of the Congress or its government to be vindictive against their political opponents. The charge sheet was yet to be filed in a Vigilance case against Mr. Achuthanandan over ‘gifting’ of land to his relative because there was no undue haste.
He said the government would drop the proposal for an official television channel if the State was not permitted to launch one. However, it would go ahead with its proposal to form an airline in view of the attitude of Air India towards Gulf passengers. The company that prepared the proposal had been asked to revise it. The project was feasible.
He said that he would go to New Delhi on Thursday for discussions on the Kochi Metro Rail project. The government had sought an explanation from Principal Secretary Tom Jose over the controversial letter he had written to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation questioning the role of E. Sreedharan in the project. The Principal Secretary’s response was awaited.
The Chief Minister said that the reorganisation of the State unit of the Congress would take place soon. However, he could not specify any date as decisions were to be taken by the party high command. He would hold discussions with the high command on the reorganisation while in Delhi.
