By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Wednesday announced an inquiry into the corruption charges levelled against its mouthpiece Deshabhimani.
Deshabhimani has been accused of accepting Rs. 20 million in the form of a bond from the family members of S. Martin, a leading lottery agent, for the newspaper's development activities.
The issue was brought to light by leading vernacular daily Mathrubhumi and was then taken up by the opposition.
Following a huge public outcry led by the opposition, the CPI-M Saturday decided to return the money taken from Martin.
The party organ faced another corruption scandal last month when K. Venugopal, a senior Deshabhimani official was expelled from the CPI-M following allegations that he had taken a bribe of Rs. 10 million from a private financial institution, to settle a legal case for the company.
The Congress-led opposition walked out of the assembly Wednesday after the speaker disallowed an adjournment motion to discuss the brutal attack on Youth Congress activists Tuesday by the police after they ransacked Martin's office in Palakkad.
"Your party organ is directly under the control of the CPI-M and it has sourced funds from Martin and then you blame us for all this. Aren't you ashamed to be in close connection with Martin and take money from them," asked Oommen Chandy, the opposition leader.
Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that a case is being registered against Venugopal.
"Even though we have not received any complaint against Venugopal from any quarter, we have directed that a case be registered against Venugopal after the opposition raised the issue," he said.
A huge protest march outside the state assembly was organized Wednesday by the youth wing of the United Democratic Front demanding that a case be registered regarding both corruption issues.
"Why is a case not being registered against E. P. Jayarajan, the general manager of Deshabhimani. The people of Kerala are watching the stoic silence of Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan. The double standards of this CPI-M government have been thoroughly exposed and the need of the hour is a complete probe into all the corruption issues," said state Congress president Ramesh Chennithala.