Kannur, Mar 8 (IANS): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday tore into Union Home Minister Amit Shah, stating that he was never jailed in any murder case but there is one person called Amit Shah who was jailed for it.
On Sunday, Shah while addressing a mammoth party meeting in the state capital, had asked a few questions to Vijayan about gold smuggling and the reverse dollar hawala case that has rocked the Vijayan government.
Vijayan was in full flow while inaugurating the April 6 assembly election campaign at his home turf in Kannur, when he went hammer and tongs at Shah.
"Yesterday he (Shah) had asked me a few questions. What I have to tell him is that I was never in jail for murder and such crimes, but there is one person who went to jail for it, his name is Amit Shah. He also spoke about a suspicious murder that took place, we want him to say which was that case and if said, we will conduct a proper probe. You need not create a smokescreen," said Vijayan.
"In 2010, in the Sohrabuddin case which was a fake encounter case, who was charge-sheeted for that. Amit Shah might have forgotten but all know it was Amit Shah. Please do not teach us anything. The CBI judge Lodha died in mysterious circumstances and his family is still searching for justice," added Vijayan, whose statements were greeted with huge applause.
"Who was the person who created Acche Din for a person's company whose assets grew to Rs 16,000 crores. Pinarayi Vijayan is not like that and the people know about it. Your culture is different from ours. Your ways will not work here as Kerala is different," said Vijayan.
Vijayan told Shah that even though you are the Union Home Minister, you will get respect only if you give respect and don't forget your status.
"Yesterday, he asked me a few questions, I wish to ask him a few questions. When the gold smuggling through the diplomatic baggage was first reported, a Sangh Parivar personality was involved, don't you know that? The Customs which is under the control of the Centre is in full control of Thiruvananthapuram airport and ever since the BJP started ruling the Centre, this airport has become the hub of gold smuggling. Amit Shah has to answer this. Also a Union Minister of State has a role besides various Sangh Parivar people have been appointed in this airport. The central agencies began their probe well, but when it started to reach some people of Amit Shah and others, the course of the probe changed directions. Where has the smuggled gold disappeared, why can't it be located," asked Vijayan.
He told the gathering that this is a political fight and our opponents do not play the game in the proper way so we have to fight it out.
"Over the years we have fought off everything that came against us. No force can stop us and so let us go forward the way we handled the local body polls," added Vijayan.