By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : The Congress-led opposition Friday accused Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan of rescinding on his promise to make a statement on the controversy around Indian space agency ISRO purchasing forest land in Kerala.
“He had assured the assembly Wednesday that he would, after verifying everything, make a statement on whether the issue raised by me was right or Forest Minister Binoy Viswom was right. Today he has run away, failing to make a statement, which means that my statement is right,” Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy told reporters here.
“Achuthanandan has been vociferous against the land mafia in the state. And today he is shielding a corrupt deal made out by Viswom. We will not settle for anything less than the resignation of Viswom and also a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe,” said Chandy.
Assembly proceedings were disrupted for the third day in succession over the issue Friday.
At the heart of the controversy is a deal finalised by ISRO, which bought a plot of 82 acres of forestland in Ponmudi, 75 km from here, from high-profile businessman Savy Mano Mathew to set up a space institute.
The opposition Congress says the land belongs to the forest department and was sold with the full connivance of Viswom. It says his department took decisions in haste so as to help Mathew close the deal.
On Thursday night, the Kerala government decided to make a fresh allotment of land to ISRO for setting up an institute because of the controversy.