Thiruvananthapuram | Senior CPI(M) leader K N Balagopal on Tuesday hit out at Chief Minister V D Satheesan, accusing him of showing "feudal arrogance" in his stance on his recent use of a helicopter and attending a lunch event in Malappuram amidst the rain-related disasters in the state.
Balagopal questioned how the CM could take part in a feast when people were dying in the rain-related disasters in the state.
He also questioned why Satheesan was not disclosing who the investors he claims to have met were, after travelling to Kochi by helicopter.
"It is not a problem of politics. It is the stand taken by the government. The ministers of the state government should not take such an autocratic stand. One should not sit in government posts to show feudal arrogance," Balagopal contended.
The senior CPI(M) leader claimed that queries by reporters on the two issues were mocked by the CM during his press conference on Monday.
In response to queries regarding the lunch event organised at an IUML leader's home, Satheesan had said he became aware of the disaster around 5 am on August 1 and immediately contacted the Revenue Minister, Chief Secretary, district ministers, district collectors and MLAs to review the situation.
He had said that he had lunch only at around 3 pm in Ponnani after completing official engagements and remaining in constant touch with the administration.
"I did not know that during the 2018 and 2019 floods, then chief minister had gone on a hunger strike. I simply went to eat food. I reached Ponnani only around 3 p.m. Now a campaign is being carried out saying that I committed a grave mistake by eating food," he had also said.
The CM also defended the use of the helicopter, claiming that it was used to meet a prospective investment group in Kochi after its schedule changed following a meeting with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
"I had originally planned to travel by Vande Bharat train. But the investors informed us that they had to return to Delhi earlier than scheduled. Since Tamil Nadu was also competing for the investment, it was important that Kerala met them without delay," he had said, and refused to disclose details of whom he met.
Criticising his responses, Balagopal, the current CPI(M) MLA from Kottarakkara, said that the replies by the CM only bring down his position and amount to mockery of the reporters.
"What is the need to keep secret any meeting with investors? That is a wrong stand. Also regarding the lunch event, he was asked how he could attend a lavish feast when fishermen were missing at sea, and people were dying in rain-related disasters. His responses amount to mocking the people and the media," Balagopal, the former state finance minister, said.
He said that a similar stance can be seen in the remarks by state Transport Minister C P John regarding women opting for the free travel scheme Priyadarshini and depending on government hospitals for treatment while preferring to educate their children in private schools.