Main accused in liquor tragedy cases arrested: CM

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 28. The Chief Minister, Mr. E. K. Nayanar, claimed here on Tuesday that the main accused in the cases relating to liquor tragedies had been arrested.

In a statement, the Chief Minister said that effective steps were being taken to arrest the rest of the accused.

Mr. Nayanar said that while the investigations into the tragedies were making good progress, some journalists were publishing false stories with the objective of creating controversies and diverting the investigations. The propaganda being carried out by the press - which could not tolerate the police apprehending the real culprits, and echoed by the Congress (I) leader, Mr. K. Karunakaran, and others - are not believed by the people.

He recalled that Mr. Karunakaran was leading the Government when the biggest liquor tragedy occurred in the State. He was also accused in a corruption case. So, it was only natural that he did not like the strong measures being taken by the Government against the liquor mafia.

He said that several agitations launched by the Congress(I) in association with the BJP had failed. Mr. Karunakaran was trying to hide this.

He said that on April 24, 1999, the then DGP, Mr. B.S. Sastry, had sent letters to the district superintendents of police, directing strong action to ward off danger arising from sale of illicit liquor, on his directives. This was a directive to make the working of the police department more efficient. However, Mr. K. Karunakaran and some journalists were putting that in bad light. Mr. Karunakaran was even demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister over this.

He said that the LDF had achieved a notable victory in the second phase of the panchayat polls also, braving the propaganda unleashed by the UDF and the BJP with the aid of media. Of the 699 wards where elections were held, the LDF had won 359 and the UDF 328 seats. The BJP won six seats. The LDF had won such a victory despite the stories planted by a caucus in Thiruvananthapuram through the media, following the liquor tragedies. The verdict was approval of the people for the Government's policies and programmes, he said.

He noted that the LDF had won a total 56,18,004 votes in two phases against the UDF's 52,48,821. Thus the LDF won 4,69,183 votes more than the UDF. In the last Parliament elections, the UDF had won 5,14,918 votes more than the LDF. Now, despite alliance with the BJP, the UDF could not win as much votes as the LDF. This showed that the LDF's policies had deeper acceptance among the people.

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Section  : Southern States
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