Page 19 - Pinarayi Vijayan

Chasm between Kerala Guv Arif Mohammed and CM Pinarayi Vijayan set to widen

After a brief pause, the dispute between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is likely to resurf with Congress leader Jyothikumar Chamakala approaching the Court

Congress will not retain its Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, says CM Vijayan

The Congress will not be able to retain the Lok Sabha seats it had won during the 2019 Parliamentary elections in the state as MPs including, Rahul Gandhi, have 'failed' to resist the BJP in the national polity, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. The Chief Minister also taunted the Congress party over the inclusion of V D Savarkar's photo among the 20 Indian freedom fighters in a banner erected for welcoming the ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi. Addressing a massive crowd here as part of the 50th Martyrdom day of Left leader Azheekodan Raghavan, Vijayan said that people of his state have realised that electing Gandhi to Lok Sabha from Kerala was a mistake. "When Rahul Gandhi contested here, our people thought that he was going to become the Prime Minister. But the people now know that it was a mistake. That trick of the Congress will not work here again. The UDF MPs from Kerala are not even resisting the BJP at the national level. They failed to raise an

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurates new software lab of IBM in Kochi

Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday inaugurated the new software lab of IBM, a state-of-the-art global innovation centre, at Brigade World Trade Centre inside the Infopark here. The centre will focus on product engineering, design, and development of new products and solutions in the areas of data and AI and automation and collaborate with the technology eco-system in the region to co-create solutions for the global industry. Vijayan said the investment made by the IBM shows that Kerala's IT hub have the greenest IT spaces and a talent pool of IT professionals. "IBM's choice to establish its software lab at Infopark- Kochi is truly something to celebrate. This investment shows once more that Kerala's IT hubs have the greenest IT spaces, a talent pool of IT professionals, a Centre of Excellence in emerging technologies, and the economic momentum to continue to move the state forward as the country's next digital hub," Vijayan said. The chief minister also said his ...

Kerala CM flays Governor, dubs him 'anti-Communist propagandist'

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday hit out at Governor Arif Mohammed Khan over his allegations against the State government on a number of issues, calling him an anti-Communist propagandist and urged him not to stoop to the level of Opposition politicians who target the Left dispensation in the southern State. Hours after Khan launched an attack on the LDF government at a press conference at the Raj Bhavan, Vijayan, also a veteran CPI(M) leader, accused the former of showing submissiveness towards RSS and told him to understand the history of the Communist movement in Kerala. Khan, the anti-Communist propagandist of the day, should understand that the Communists were subjected to suppression before it came to power in the State through ballot in 1957, Vijayan said at a party programme. Vijayan said the post of the Governor is a Constitutional responsibility not a position from which one expresses personal opinions. The Governor, speaking to the media earlier in the da

Governor cannot reject, withhold bills indefinitely, says Kerala govt

A Governor can withhold the bills passed by a state Assembly, but it cannot be for an indefinite period nor can he reject them, the Kerala government said on Monday. State Law Minister P Rajeeve, speaking to reporters here, said under the Constitution the Governor has the power to give assent to bills, withhold them or send them to the President of India. "The Governor does not have the power to reject the bills," he said. His remarks come in the wake of Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan last week saying that will not allow the University Laws Amendment Bill recently passed by the state Assembly as it allegedly seeks to legalise illegalities and pave the way for appointment of "unqualified relatives" of the staff of the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues. Recently, a row broke out over the attempt to appoint the wife of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's personal secretary in the Malayalam department in Kannur University though she had the lowest research score but highest i

Kerala Governor to meet media at Raj Bhavan amid clashes with LDF govt

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is likely to meet the media on Monday at the Raj Bhavan where he is expected to release some documents and video clippings. Khan had a day ago invited the media to the Raj Bhavan here amidst an ongoing war of words between him and Kerala's LDF government over several issues connected to the functioning of varsities in the state. The Governor, on Sunday, had said he would release to the media letters written by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to him assuring that there will be no interference from the government in the affairs of the universities in the state. He had also said he would put out some video clips, which are probably of the heckling incident he faced at Kannur University in December 2019 when he went there to inaugurate the Indian History Congress. According to Khan, the heckling he faced there was part of a conspiracy to frighten him into not speaking in public and Vijayan had allegedly told the police not to lodge a case in connectio

Kerala CM Vijayan meets Bommai, discusses border development issues

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday called on his Karnataka counterpart Basavaraj Bommai here and discussed many issues including development of border region. According to sources, Bommai and Pinarayi held talks related to the development of border region and night traffic on the highway running through the Bandipur tiger reserve. Opening the NH passing through the ecologically sensitive Bandipur tiger reserve for night traffic had been a long pending demand of Kerala. The southern state had also approached the Supreme Court to allow night traffic and filed an affidavit saying it was highly discriminating for the people living in the surrounding areas of Bandipur National Park to restrict their right to move freely, they said. During the meeting, Bommai told Vijayan that the highway running along the Bandipur Tiger Reserve cannot be opened citing Supreme Court order. The two leaders also held discussion on two pending railway projects and few other highway projects,

Governor Vs CM: Congress seeks intervention by PM, President in Kerala

State Congress president K.Sudhakaran told the media in Alappuzha that all levels of decency has been breached in the war of words between the two 'heads' of the state.

After appointment fiasco, wife of OSD to Pinarayi Vijayan in more trouble

In 2018, Vijayan himself had told the State Assembly that those misusing the government vehicles would face strict action

Sree Narayana Guru's teachings panacea for hate: Kerala CM Vijayan

Sree Narayana Guru's teachings are a panacea for hate created in the world in the name of religion and race, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday. Vijayan was addressing a public meeting at Chempazhanthy here on the occasion of the social reformer's birth anniversary. "Man has got only one caste and that's humanity, Guru taught us this. He called for a society where there is no division in the name of religion or caste. He envisioned a society where all are treated as equals, brothers. It's a beautiful thought," the chief minister said. "If we look at world history, we can see that all the violent incidents and bloodshed occurred in the name of religion or race. Guru's teachings are in fact a panacea for all this hate in the name of region and race. "If we understand the inner meaning of Guru's teachings, we can see that we all are brothers," Vijayan said.

Over 28,000 KSRTC employees to finally get salary, but with a condition

The decision to pay the salaries came with the condition that the employees' duty structure would change from a 16-hour double shift to a 12-hour single shift

Take steps to galvanise economy, says Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan to Centre

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday urged the Central government to make the States take up what he called as productive spending to galvanise the economy of the country. Speaking at the 30th southern zonal council meeting here, Vijayan said there was a need for discussion on the proposed laws based on the concurrent list of the 7th Schedule of the Constitution before they were enacted. "There can be contestations, but through discussions and debates, consensus can emerge narrowing down the areas of differences. This is the essence of a healthy federal democracy," Vijayan said. He recalled the co-operative spirit with which the States faced the situation in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Differences stood apart and we rose to the need of the hour to protect and provide the people relief. Though the immediate threat has receded, the fiscal empowerment of the Union and the States are of equal importance to meet the long impact of the pandemic on the economy.

Kerala CM announces preventive detention for regular drug offenders

The Chief Minister said that the state government intends to take to prevent the increasing use of drugs in the state

Functioning of Kerala govt not satisfactory, CM handling all depts: CPI

CPI's Ernakulam District conference has criticised Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan in its working report which was presented at the conference

Silver Line project not shelved, hopeful of clearance, says Kerala CM

Kerala's biggest infrastructure project Silver Line (K-Rail) has not been shelved and is awaiting the Centre's clearance, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed state Kerala Assembly

CM Pinarayi Vijayan to table new Bill curtailing Kerala Governor's powers

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will on Wednesday table a new Bill in the Kerala Assembly aimed at curtailing the powers of Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan as Chancellor

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan launches state govt's own e-taxi service app

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday launched the LDF government's own e-taxi service app -- named 'Kerala Savari' -- which is considered to be the first such initiative by any state in the country. Vijayan also flagged off, at the app launch event, the auto-rickshaws which would be operating under the new online taxi hiring service that has been rolled out by the state Labour Department. Under the new initiative, the objective is to link the existing autorickshaw-taxi networks in Kerala with an aim to ensure safe and dispute-free travel for the public at affordable rates prevailing in the state. It is also envisaged as a helping hand to the autorickshaw-taxi labour sector, which is facing several challenges, the government had said last month when it had announced the launch of the service. The government had said it has been learnt that there was a difference of 20-30 per cent between the rate received by the motor transport labourers and the rate charged from the

Federalism of Constitution must be upheld in financial matters: Kerala CM

Federalism is the foundation of the Indian Constitution as well as the basis of the country's existence and therefore, it should be kept in mind while moving forward, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said

Kerala CM Vijayan lashes out at ED, says agency tried to destroy KIIFB

"There is no need to introduce the ED to anyone now. It is trying to prevent the development of the state... The ED's intention is clear," he said

Kerala CM helped UAE national caught with Thuraya phone escape: Swapna

The prime accused in the gold smuggling case, Swapna Suresh slammed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on his role which helped an Egyptian-born UAE national escape the law