Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Saturday said that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cannot escape by making the CPM party secretary as the scapegoat.
He said this while speaking to in the wake of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's resignation from the CPM Kerala state Secretary post.
Muraleedharan further said, "The CPM State Secretary has submitted his resignation in the gold smuggling issue. In fact, it is up to the party members to decide what type of person they want as their leader. But the matter is not who is going to continue as the party leader, the issue is who is going to continue as the leader of the state, that is the CM."
"So, when the party secretary feels that owning moral responsibility he should step down. People are asking why the CM has not taken the same stand. And the CM cannot escape by making the party secretary the scapegoat. So he will have to step down. And that's the only solution that this issue will reach," he added.
The gold smuggling case, which is currently being probed by the ED, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Customs Department, pertains to the smuggling of gold in the state through diplomatic channels.
The matter had come to light after 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crores, smuggled in a diplomatic cargo, was busted by the Customs in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5.
( With inputs from ANI )
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