Corruption scandals in Kerala BJP not a state issue: CPI-M

The corruption charges against BJP leaders in Kerala should not be seen as a state phenomenon and "it is only a matter of time before the skeletons come tumbling out of the cupboards of the Modi government", the CPI-M has said.

"It would be a mistake to consider the corruption scandals within the BJP in Kerala as a purely localised state phenomenon," said an editorial in the CPI-M journal People's Democracy.

"The allocations and permissions from central government departments require 'middle-men' of the party at the Centre.

"Moreover, if the party men can go on the make (money), even when they are in the opposition (in Kerala), one can imagine the scale of bribery and corruption which is affecting the state governments and central government run by the BJP," the editorial said.

"It is only a matter of time before the skeletons come tumbling out of the cupboards of the Modi government."

The Communist Party of India-Marxist said that despite its minimal influence in Kerala, the state leaders of the BJP had utilized the opportunities presented by the BJP being the ruling party to take bribes to get work done under the purview of central institutions.

The bribery and corruption affecting the Bharatiya Janata Party erupted after the leakage of a report of an enquiry committee set up by the party regarding charges against one of its leaders, R.S. Vinod.

He was accused of taking a bribe of Rs 5.6 crore from the owner of a private medical college for getting recognition from the Medical Council of India. It was reported that the money was transferred to Delhi through a hawala transaction.

Another BJP leader in Kerala, M.T. Ramesh, was accused of taking a bribe of a similar amount from another medical college owner to get recognition. The BJP expelled Vinod from the party.

"This exposure came after the news that some BJP leaders in Thrissur had been arrested for printing of fake currency notes... A BJP leader of Malappuram was arrested on a complaint of taking a bribe of Rs 10 lakh for a bank appointment," it said.

"What all these events show is the depth of degeneration of the Hindutva party."

--IANS

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