Kozhikode, The Kerala state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) K Surendran has said the CPI(M)-led LDF Government had grossly violated human rights by hiding the number of deaths due to Covid-19 in the state.
Addressing the media here, the BJP leader said it was out of the desire of the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for gaining “cheap publicity” in the battle against the pandemic that the health authorities were suppressing actual number of deaths due to Covid-19.

“Only one-third of the actual deaths was reflected in official records to stage-manage a campaign that the state excels in Covid-19 care. But why should a government earn such a fake glory at the cost of the victims and their families, who will be denied the benefits declared by the centre”, the BJP leader pointed out.

The BJP are probing into this and would ascertain the actual number of deaths due to the virus. The central team visiting the state should also investigate this aspect and come out with the real number of Covid-19 deaths, he said.On the notice he received from the state police directing him to be present for quizzing as part of the investigation into the Kodakara highway robbery case, Surendran said he got the notice and has not decided yet whether to appear on Tuesday.

“I was asked to appear as a witness in the case. It is not legally mandatory to appear the same day and it could be on a later date also. However, I would not pretend heart attack or shy away from appearing under the guise of being Covid positive. A meeting of our state committee was scheduled for next Tuesday and this was decided much before I got the notice”, Surendran pointed out.

Pointing out that there have been very many cases framed against him, the BJP leader said he was not worried about any cases against him, be it the election malpractice cases registered in Kasaragod and Wayanad.

On the recent controversial issue of harassing the Ernakulam-based Kitex Industries, the world leader in kids garment export, Surendran said the CPI(M) was resorting to political vendetta for obvious reasons. But this would be at the cost of tens of thousands of employees of the factory and many more thousands which would have been created, the BJP leader said.

Now, the company management has backed out from its promised investment to the tune of Rs thousands of crores. Many states including UP have offered him all facilities to establish his industry there with very many sops. Now the Kerala Chief Minister should open and tell the people what they mean by an investment-friendly state as highlighted in the Global Investors Meet hosted by the government, Surendran added.

(Agencies)