Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has lashed out at the Congress as it surfaced that the party allegedly asked a section of government employees in the state to share details of government decisions, which can be "detrimental to the Left government's image”. He was referring to reports that alleged that the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) held ‘Officers and Service Organisation’s Cell’ meeting, during which the pro-Congress government employees were asked to ‘leak’ government documents.
The minutes of the virtual meeting, which was leaked to the media, has sparked a row. According to the minutes, KPCC president Mullappaly Ramachandran allegedly asked the employees to ‘leak’ government documents that could be used against the state government in the coming local body elections and the state elections next year.
Hitting out at the KPCC at the press meet in Saturday, CM Pinarayi said that Congress’ move is against the democratic system of the country.
"What they have done is something detrimental to the democratic system in this country, because they have asked the government employees to betray its own government. The government servants are supposed to be responsible towards the duties entrusted with them and it is their duty to protect the details of the job. But they (the Congress) have called for the violation of duty and not to adhere to the rules and regulations," said Pinarayi Vijayan told, adding, "This is a call for a riot.”
It's unfortunate that the leaders who have held senior positions in a democratically elected government earlier have made such statements, the CM said.
On the KPCC website, the ‘Officers and Service Organisation’s Cell’ section leads to KPCC Digital Media Cell, which has MP Shashi Tharoor as its Chairman and Anil Antony (son of former CM AK Antony) as its convener.
According to the minutes, KPCC chief Mullappaly Ramachandran allegedly asked government officials aligned towards the Congress party to collect details on "government decisions" in a "legal manner."
The minutes also said that the "assistance given by the officials who are part of service organisations of the government" was "very helpful for the party” in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Over the past several months, the Opposition party has been actively coming out against the ruling CPI(M)-led government, calling out various allegations against them, many of which has sparked a row, including the Kerala gold smuggling case.