Page 11 - Pinarayi Vijayan

Supreme Court asks Kerala Governor to meet CM, minister to discuss bills

The Supreme Court on Wednesday noted that Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has taken decisions on eight bills and asked him to meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with the minister concerned to discuss the bills, saying let us hope that some political sagacity takes over. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the office of the governor, that out of eight Bills, seven have been reserved for consideration by the President, while one has been assented by Khan. The top court, meanwhile, permitted the state government to amend its plea to seek issuance of guidelines for the governors on grant or decline of assent to the bills passed by the assembly in a time-bound manner. We will record that the governor will discuss the matter with both the chief minister and the minister in charge and related to the Bill..., the bench said. Let us hope that some political sagacity takes over the state an

Sitharaman trying to mislead Kerala people on funds disbursement: CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday accused Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of trying to mislead the public through her claims of timely disbursement of required funds to the southern state by the Centre. Sitharaman, a day ago, had dismissed allegations by Kerala's Left government of negligence in fund allocation and claimed that the Central government promptly sends the required funds to the people of the southern state without any delay. She had also blamed the state government for non-release of funds under various categories by the Centre, alleging that it was due to the Left administration's failure to meet the necessary criteria. Refuting the claims and allegations of the Union minister, Vijayan contended that requirements of the southern state were brought to Sithraman's attention several times through written requests from state Finance Minister K N Balagopal. Balagopal had also met the Union minister personally to highlight the state's financial ...

Centre trying to create economic crisis in Kerala; Cong a spectator: CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday accused the BJP-ruled Centre of trying to destroy the federal structure and creating an economic crisis in the southern state through its various policies and blamed the Congress-led UDF of being a silent spectator to the same. Alleging neglect and discrimination on the part of the Central government towards Kerala, Vijayan said it was getting this treatment despite achieving unprecedented gains in tax collection, domestic production and infrastructure development. Speaking during the Nava Kerala Sadas at the Uduma constituency here in the evening, the CM said that the Union government through its various policies was "financially strangulating the Left government" since it came into power back in 2016. "At the same time, the Congress and the UDF opposition led by it were being a mute spectator to this discrimination. Why this hesitancy in speaking out against the actions of the Centre which are against the state and its people?" he .

CM Vijayan holds MPs meet ahead of Parliament to raise Kerala's problems

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday held an online meeting with MPs from Kerala urging them to highlight various issues, particularly the financial crisis, affecting the state during the upcoming Parliament session. In the meeting, a unanimous decision emerged to raise issues in the Parliament related to the removal of revenue subsidy due to the state, cancellation of GST compensation and non-payment of arrears of compensation. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), another important agenda discussed in the meeting was that the Centre should withdraw from its move to reduce the borrowing limits of the state. "In this context, it was unanimously decided in the meeting to visit the concerned Union Ministers to raise the credit limit of Kerala as per the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission," the statement said. The other issues which the MPs decided to jointly raise in the Parliament were -- the delay in security clearance to the ...

Kerala CM warns against forces who try to destroy cooperative sector

Kerala Chief Minister a Vijayan on Tuesday cautioned against "some forces" who have been on a "mission" for some time to destroy the cooperative sector in the state, and alleged that their real agenda is to divert the funds in the sector to help big corporates. Both the public and cooperative sectors had enjoyed great prominence in the country during the post-independence period, but the situation changed after the nation embraced globalisation, he said. Since then, the country has been witnessing several moves to destroy the cooperative sector, and it is still continuing, he said. Vijayan was speaking after inaugurating the Sahakarana Varaghosham (loosely translated as Cooperative Week Celebrations) programme here. "Though the cooperative sector in Kerala is very strong, some forces are on a mission to destroy its foundation, sabotage the state's economy, and push the lives of ordinary people into misery," he said. The attempt to destroy the cooperative sector is not a sudden mov

Kerala CM Vijayan calls for action to ensure safety of Palestinian children

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday emphasised the government's responsibility to protect the rights of children and called for concerted efforts to address the plight of Palestinian children affected in the ongoing conflict with Israel. In a Facebook post on the occasion of Children's Day commemorating the birthday of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, the chief minister underscored the dire situation faced by Palestinian children amid the war. He urged collective action to ensure their safety and facilitate their rehabilitation. Vijayan said that the availability of nutritious food, healthcare, and quality education are the inherent rights of every child born in the world. Safeguarding these rights is a fundamental responsibility of governments, he said. Highlighting the vision of the architects of the Constitution, including Nehru, the chief minister said that they envisioned an India where violence and exploitation against children would be ...

Ruling LDF to hold agitation against 'negligence' of Centre towards Kerala

Kerala's ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Friday announced its decision to take the fight against the alleged negligence of the BJP-ruled Centre towards the state's development needs to New Delhi. The agitation, scheduled for January next year, aims to highlight the challenges faced by the state on the financial front due to what the CPI(M)-led alliance alleges as the Centre's negligence. LDF Convenor E P Jayarajan said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with his Cabinet colleagues, Left MLAs, MPs, and other leaders, will participate in the protest. This move is seen as the LDF's political narrative against the BJP-led NDA in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. Speaking after a meeting of LDF leaders at the CPI(M) headquarters here, Jayarajan criticised the Central government for neglecting Kerala across various sectors. He alleged that the state was facing financial difficulties due to the Centre's policies. "The state is not receiving the benefits it deserves, with Rs 5

UNESCO's tag for Kozhikode testament to rich literary heritage: CM Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said UNESCO's recognition of Kozhikode as a 'City of Literature' is an honour for the state and a great pride for its people. UNESCO made the announcement on its official website on Tuesday. The CM congratulated the people of Kozhikode on the achievement. "It's an honour for #Kerala that the beautiful city of #Kozhikode has been designated as a #UNESCO City of Literature. Kozhikode is the first city in India to receive this prestigious title, and it is a moment of great pride for all of us. This recognition is a testament to the city's rich literary heritage and vibrant cultural scene. "Let's celebrate this incredible achievement and continue to promote the love for literature and creativity in our state. Congratulations to the people of Kozhikode," he said on a post on social media platform X. Kozhikode is where literary greats like the late S K Pottekkat and Vaikom Muhammad Basheer hailed from. The UNESCO recognition consolidat

Death threat to Kerala CM Vijayan received over phone at state police HQ

A death threat against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was received at the state police headquarters here, police said on Thursday. The threat was made over a phone call to the control room of the police headquarters on Wednesday evening, it said. On being asked whether a minor boy made that call as stated in news reports, police said they were investigating all angles. A case has been registered in connection with the incident at Museum police station under sections 118(b) and 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act against the phone number used to make the threat, it said. Section 118(b) deals with knowingly spreading rumours or giving false alarms to mislead the police, fire brigade or any other essential service and section 120(o) deals with causing, through any means of communication, a nuisance of himself to any person by repeated or undesirable or anonymous call, letter, writing, message, e-mail or through a messenger.

Kerala blasts: MoS Chandrasekhar booked for alleged controvesial remarks

A case has been registered against Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar for allegedly making statements that promote enmity between different groups, police said on Tuesday. The Kerala police registered the FIR on its own in connection with the minister's recent statements on social media regarding the Kochi blasts and a Hamas leader's virtual address at an event organised by an Islamist group in Malappuram district of the state recently. A senior officer of Kochi city police said that an FIR under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) of the IPC and section 120 (o) (causing nuisance and violation of public order) of the Kerala Police Act has been registered against the minister. After reports of the bomb blasts at a religious gathering of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kalamassery near here came out on Sunday, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Chandrasekhar put up posts on social

Kerala under CM Vijayan tolerant towards radical elements: Chandrasekhar

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday alleged that Kerala under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has shown tolerance towards radical elements and radicalisation. Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Chandrasekhar was hitting back at the CM who a day ago slammed the BJP leader over his social media posts criticising Vijayan over the blasts at a religious gathering in Kalamassery near here. Terming the BJP leader's posts as part of his communal stand, Vijayan, without naming Chandrasekhar, sought to know based on what information the union minister made such remarks against him and how a person holding a responsible position could come out with such statements while the investigation was going on. Vijayan, during a brief press meet held at the Secretariat complex in Thiruvananthapuram, had alleged that the statements by the BJP leader were the reflection of an absolute communal outlook. Responding to the CM's remarks, Chandrasekhar clarified that he did

Kerala blasts: All-party meet resolves to resist efforts to create mistrust

An all-party meet, called by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of the multiple blasts at a religious gathering in the state that claimed three lives, commenced here on Monday. The all-party meeting began around 10 am in the Chief Minister's conference hall in the Secretariat complex. The blasts occurred at a convention centre in Kalamassery near Kochi that was hosting a prayer meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses -- a Christian religious group that originated in the US in the 19th century -- on Sunday. Initially, one woman had died and 52 were injured, six of them critically, in the blasts. Subsequently, one of the six critically injured -- a 53-year-old woman -- succumbed to her injuries. By Monday morning, the death toll rose to three with the death of a 12-year-old girl who had suffered 95 per cent burns in the incident. State Police Chief DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb had on Sunday confirmed that the blast was caused due to an improvised explosive device (IED). A fe

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20-member team led by ADGP to probe Kalamassery blast case: Vijayan

"A special team led by ADGP Law and Order will be investigating this incident...20 members will be in the investigating team," Vijayan said at a press conference

Kerala blast: Amit Shah speaks to Kerala CM; NSG, NIA teams being sent

One person died and over 20 were injured in a blast at a convention centre in Kalamassery here on Sunday morning, police said. An officer of Kalamassery police said the cause of the blast or whether there was more than one was not confirmed. The blast reportedly occurred at a convention centre of a Christian group. He said a call was received around 9 am about the blast and seeking police assistance. Visuals of the incident on TV channels showed fire rescue and police personnel in large numbers evacuating people from the site. Disturbing visuals of the blast inside the convention centre showed multiple fires inside the hall as people were screaming in fear. Hundreds of people were seen outside the convention centre post the explosion.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan flags-in first ever ship into Vizhinjam port

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday flagged-in the first ever ship at the Rs 7,700 crore deep-water international Vizhinjam port here. Vijayan, joined by Leader of Opposition in the assembly V D Satheesan, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and various state ministers, waved a green flag signalling the tugboats to push the huge Chinese ship -- Zhen Hua 15 -- from the wharf to the docking yard. The tugboats pushing the vessel, which carries huge ship-to-shore and yard cranes, also gave it a water salute. As the vessel touched the dock, firecrackers were burst and balloons released to welcome it. Hundreds of people, across all age groups, arrived at the port area to see the ship arrive at the dock. Zhen Hua 15 -- which began its journey from China at the end of August, was scheduled to dock at Vizhinjam on October 4, but its journey got delayed due to bad weather conditions along its route. On reaching Indian coastal wate

Kerala CM launches 7 mega projects at Cochin International Airport

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday inaugurated seven "mega projects" at Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) here. The chief minister launched the operation of the Import Cargo Terminal, DigiYatra software and Airport Emergency Services at the international airport at an event held at CIAL. He also launched the projects for the first phase of the expansion of Terminal 3, the '0484' luxury aero lounge, an intrusion detection system at the airport and golf resorts. Addressing the gathering, Vijayan said Kerala is showing the public an alternative when even the strategic public sector undertakings in the country, including airports, are being privatised in the country. "We are living at a time when even the strategic public sector undertakings in this country are being privatised. But in Kerala, the public sector undertakings are being protected and are prospering. We even took over the public sector undertakings that the Centre had put up for sale," Vijayan said.

Kerala CM to inaugurate seven 'mega projects' at CIAL on October 2

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate seven "mega projects" at the international airport here on Monday, Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) said. The airport authority said the chief minister will inaugurate the operation of the Import Cargo Terminal, DigiYatra software and Airport Emergency Services at CIAL. He will also launch the projects for the first phase of the expansion of Terminal 3, the '0484' luxury aero lounge, an intrusion detection system at the airport and the Golf Resorts. In a Facebook post, Vijayan said the aero lounge will consist of 42 luxury guest rooms, a restaurant, mini conference hall, board room, gym, spa among other facilities. "Once fully operational, with a massive area of 50,000 sq. ft., it will become the biggest lounge facility in the country," Vijayan said. He said the Airport Fire and Rescue force is being upgraded to Airport Emergency Services with the inclusion of two Austrian-made fire engines and other advanced vehic

Kerala CM protecting culprits behind Karuvannur bank scam: Cong-led UDF

A day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan claimed that the state government had taken action against those involved in the Karuvannur bank scam case, the Congress-led UDF opposition on Thursday reiterated its allegation that he was protecting the culprits behind the fraud. Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the assembly V D Satheesan alleged that the chief minister was defending and protecting those who looted over Rs 500 crore from cooperative banks in Thrissur. Vijayan on Wednesday had said that if one bad grain was found in a bowl of rice, the entire bowl cannot be thrown away. In response to this, Satheesan contended that the chief minister needs to realise that the entire bowl was full of bad grains. The LoP further contended that the stand taken by Vijayan amounts to discrediting the cooperative sector in the state and turning a blind eye to the suffering of the investors. He said that even the opposition does not want the cooperative sector to be harmed and urged the ..

Bribery charges steam against Kerala's health min, Cong calls it 'shocking'

Allegations of bribery have cropped up against a personal staff of Kerala Health Minister Veena George following which the opposition Congress demanded a probe into it. Haridasan, a resident of Malappuram district on Wednesday, alleged that a personal staff member of the minister accepted Rs 1 lakh as bribe for the appointment of his daughter-in-law as a government medical officer. He alleged that a middleman approached him, saying such appointments were being made through the minister's office, and asked him to pay a huge amount as bribe in instalments. A former office secretary of CITU, the trade union wing of the CPI(M), in Pathanamthitta, who allegedly acted as a middleman, also accepted a bribe for the said appointment, he claimed and added his daughter-in-law, however, didn't get the job. Haridasan also released through the media some purported evidence of money transactions between him and the minister's personal staff member. Later in the day, he said officers of the speci