Kerala CM aware of deep-sea fishing contract with US firm

Thiruvananthapuram: With just days left for assembly polls in the State, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday suffered a jolt when TV channels began airing documents that reveal he was aware of the decision allowing US-based firm EMCC to engage in manufacture of boats and big ships, besides handing over the deep sea fishing activities off the Kerala coast.

Documents that have surfaced on Thursday clearly indicate that Vijayan's office and his staff were kept informed about this deal by concerned officials and his office had responded to it.

Ever since Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala brought out details of the deal in the public domain, Vijayan has time and again washed his hands off it and has said neither he nor his office have any clue of it.

He had come out with his stock statement: "Eneku onum arinjukuda" (I do not know anything).

Incidentally this issue has rocked the Vijayan government as this had caused huge resentment among the fishing community in the State and the Latin Church came out with a pastoral letter condemning Vijayan.

However as usual, when this question was posed to Vijayan, on Thursday he brushed aside by saying that isn't it natural for any officer to respond to a message when he is informed about it and that's all what has happened.

"The release of these documents all points out to a conspiracy behind this. A 'big' officer has played a role in it. Everything will be revealed in the probe," said a peeved Vijayan and expressed his displeasure about the question being raised.

Incidentally this 'fraudulent' deal today has become the biggest campaign point in the run-up to the April 6 assembly elections and Vijayan and his team are doing their best to cool things down. "Vijayan is the biggest liar and it has been proved again and again," said Chennithala.