Thiruvananthapuram, July 22 (IANS) Declaring that his doors remain open to the public, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday dismissed allegations that he is inaccessible, asserting that “my office doesn’t deny permission to anyone who wishes to see me,” while using the post-Cabinet media briefing to announce a series of decisions ranging from anti-ragging measures and support for the coir sector to condemning the Delhi Police’s handling of the Congress protest.
“There is a wrong narrative that I am not available. That is totally false. Anyone who wants to meet me will not have to return disappointed. My office does not deny permission to anyone,” the Chief Minister said, amid recent criticism over his accessibility.
Referring to the differences with the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU), Satheesan said he had already held discussions with the student organisation.
“They expressed their views, and we conveyed ours,” he said, indicating that the issue had been addressed through dialogue.
Announcing a major initiative to tackle ragging in educational institutions, Satheesan said the government would launch the ‘Siddharth Distress App’ in memory of Wayanad ragging victim Siddharth.
The platform will enable students to confidentially register complaints and seek immediate intervention in cases of ragging and other forms of harassment.
The Cabinet also decided to step in to revive Kerala’s struggling traditional industries, particularly the coir sector, ahead of the Onam season.
The government will roll out a statewide campaign with the slogan “One Coir Product in Every Home” to boost demand and support thousands of workers dependent on the industry.
The Chief Minister also came down heavily on the Delhi Police for its action against Congress leaders during Tuesday’s protest in the national capital.
Describing the police action as the ultimate police brutality, he said leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Kerala Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunath were roughed up.
Satheesan said the Kerala government strongly condemned the incident and stood firmly with the protesters.
On the Wakf Board controversy, Satheesan accused Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan of attempting to create a communal narrative by misrepresenting facts.
He said Kerala became the first state to reconstitute its Wakf Board after the 2025 Wakf Act, which mandates the inclusion of two non-Muslim members.
While the previous Left government had informed the court that the appointments would be made later, his government assured the High Court that it would comply fully with the law.
He added that subsequent proceedings in the Supreme Court had vindicated the government’s stand, and accused the Opposition of deliberately ignoring these facts to fuel communal tensions.
–IANS
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