Retain policy address made by Governor in Assembly records: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday demanded that the policy address made by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar in the State Legislative Assembly should be retained as such on the Assembly records.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Chandrasekhar described the amendments made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to the Governor’s speech as an unprecedented step. Replacing the speech made by the Governor with the one approved by the government is not right, Mr. Chandrasekhar said.

On the Sabarimala gold theft case, the BJP State president wanted senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to disclose the details of her meeting with Unnikrishnan Potti, who had subsequently emerged as the prime accused, in New Delhi.

Mr. Chandrasekhar also reiterated the BJP’s opposition to the LDF government’s move to appoint retired High Court judge Babu Mathew P. Joseph as Ombudsman for Local Self- Government Institutions. Mr. Chandrasekhar said that the BJP had conveyed its objections to Mr. Arlekar through a representation on Saturday.

The decision to appoint Mr. Joseph, a former Upa Lok Ayukta, was in violation of the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act, 1999, Mr. Chandrasekhar said. The Act prohibits individuals who have served as Lok Ayukta or Upa Lok Ayukta from accepting any office of profit later on, he said. He demanded an explanation from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as to why Mr. Joseph, who was an Upa Lok Ayukta, is being nominated for the post, knowing that he is not eligible under the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act, 1999.

The State Cabinet, at its weekly meeting on January 21, had decided to recommend the Governor to appoint Mr. Joseph as the Ombudsman.