BJP demands action against Anvar amid allegations of corruption, gold smuggling

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president K. Surendran has dared Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to act tough against Left Democratic Front (LDF) Independent legislator P.V. Anvar for allegedly demoralising the police to shield gold smugglers and hawala agents in northern Kerala, particularly Malappuram.

He also demanded a comprehensive investigation into the alleged involvement of Chief Minister’s political secretary P. Sasi and Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order, M.R. Ajith Kumar, both of who along with Mr. Anvar have come under the scanner in light of the allegations.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, the BJP leader also expressed concern over the purported suspicion that individuals in positions of power may to linked to illegal activities concerning national security, including gold smuggling and hawala operations.

“The Chief Minister himself has admitted that gold worth crores of rupees is being smuggled through the Calicut international airport at Karipur. He also went on to claim gold smugglers are behind the recent spate of controversies. He has the obligation to clarify whether the gold smugglers are members of his own party or not. It is also a matter of shame for both him and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government that an MLA backed by the coalition has been speaking at the behest of gold smugglers,” Mr. Surendran said.

The BJP called for clarity regarding Mr. Anvar’s claims of phone tapping, asserting that the recent controversies had unveiled the “true colours” of the CPI(M)-led administration. He also accused the Chief Minister of insulting Kerala’s reputation by deflecting blame onto the media, insisting that it was the government’s actions that were harming the State’s image globally.

Published - September 21, 2024 07:38 pm IST