The Hindu Business Line : Signing of ADB pact leads to another walkout in Kerala

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Signing of ADB pact leads to another walkout in Kerala

Our Bureau

I will seek to change those provisions not people-friendly: CM

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec. 29

Opposition members walked out of the State Assembly for a second consecutive day on Friday protesting the denial of permission to move an adjournment motion over signing of an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for sustainable development of semi-urban towns and cities.

Mr K.M. Mani, who gave notice for the motion, said that the Government lacked collective responsibility on the issue and even the Cabinet stood divided.

According to him, the Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, and his Cabinet colleagues did not trust each other any more.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had said that he was not aware if the Cabinet had discussed the draft agreement at all. He had gone on to add that he would seek to change those provisions, which were not people-friendly.

CM's version

He had also said that the Local Administration Minister, Mr Paloli Mohammed Kutty, and the Finance Minister, Dr T.M. Thomas Isaac, who have been actively pushing the ADB proposition, would have to correct their stance, which was at variance with his own.

According to Mr Mani, the Chief Minister is responsible first to the people, not his party.

He should seek to take the House into confidence with regard to the circumstances leading to the development of a full-blown controversy in the aftermath of signing of the agreement.

Referring to the session on Thursday, he said that if the Chief Minister was not in a position to attend the House, he should have deputed a Minister.

Though the Home Minister, Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, had said that he had been deputed, he had refused to reply to a crucial adjournment motion.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister, who addressed members on Friday, reiterated that the ADB loan proposal did not come up for discussion in the Cabinet.

Official lapse

He sought to the blame on `procedural lapses' by officials, which had in turn precipitated the controversy. The issue did not involve any constitutional impropriety nor did it adversely reflect on the collective responsibility of the Cabinet, as alleged by the Opposition.

The Chief Minister further said that action would be taken against officials for `not bringing the matter before the Cabinet' before the agreement was signed into effect.