OPPOSITION UDF led by the Congress on Tuesday alleged the CPI(M)-led government illegally appointed relatives of party leaders in state enterprises and attempts were on to give permanent jobs for several party sympathisers now serving as contract employees.
Raising the issue of alleged “backdoor” entry of CPI(M) workers in government service in the Assembly, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said that Kerala Chalachithra Academy director Kamal, in a letter to state Cultural Affairs Minister A K Balan, has recommended that four party sympathisers be made permanent staff at the academy to “maintain the Left nature of the academy”.
Kamal, a noted film director, was made the academy head after the LDF came to power.
Chennithala also released a list of relatives of Left leaders and sympathisers who have been given “backdoor” appointments in Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA), which is under the Industries Department.
The list included A Rakhil, son of CPI(M) legislator P K Sasi; A Nikhil, a local DYFI leader in Kannur; and U S Rahul, the son-in-law of N Sasidharan Nair, who had served in the personal staff of Pinarayi Vijayan in the past.
Chennithala alleged that eligibility norms were tweaked to ensure the entry of the wards and kin of party leaders in various posts in the KINFRA.
Industries Minister E P Jayarajan, however, claimed that the appointments were made on humanitarian grounds.
Replying to the Opposition allegation that the state Public Service Commission has been reduced to a scarecrow, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government policy is to make appointments in a transparent manner. “Efforts are on to ensure that maximum appointments are reported to the state Public Service Commission and make appointments through that agency. As per the latest details, 1.51 lakh people have been given advice memo (for job) by the Commission. Besides, appointments in 52 government institutions have been transferred to the Commission,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Kamal’s letter on the permanent job recommendations evoked sharp protest from the Congress and BJP.
BJP state secretary P Sudheer demanded that Kamal be removed from the post of Kerala Chalachithra Academy director. “These four persons were appointed in the academy only because of their political loyalty… The BJP would launch an agitation if the government fails to remove Kamal. The government has cheated lakhs of unemployed youths waiting for a job,” he said.
Despite repeated attempts, Kamal did not respond on the issue.
This article is auto-generated by Algorithm Source: indianexpress.com
