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	VS' Comments Irk UDF, Save Face for LDF Express Buzz December 12, 2008 http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/print.aspx?artid=YFYsJJBT0sQ= THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A surprise gimmick, well executed in the floor of the Assembly by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, saved the face of the ruling front when the notice for adjacent motion filed by the UDF was debated on Wednesday. VS used the Sister Abhaya murder case to corner K.M. Mani, who had served the notice for adjournment motion demanding a discussion on the administrative standstill in the Chief Minister's office. In reply to Mani's allegations that several files regarding Smart City project and Munnar eviction drive were swept under the carpet by the CMO, VS said it was during the regime of the government of which Mani was a part that files were hoarded on a largescale. "What happened to the Sister Abhaya murder case which happened in 1992 when the UDF was in power? The CBI could resolve the mystery only after 16 years. A section of media has pointed fingers to the role of Mani in scuttling this case, " said Achuthanandan. The comments against Mani provoked the Opposition members who rushed to the well of the House demanding the withdrawal of comments. The Chief Minister replied that though he had only reiterated a truth, he will withdraw it if Mani and friends are hurt. The chaos in the Assembly came to an end when Speaker K. Radhakrishnan ruled that the Chief Minister had withdrawn his comments against Mani. Referring to the allegations levelled by his former additional secretary K. Suresh Kumar, Achuthanandan said those were totally baseless. "Suresh Kumar was not my secretary. He was an additional secretary at my secretary's office. He was not entrusted with any office responsibility. A memo has been served to him by the Chief Secretary. Further actions will be initiated after receiving his reply. The comments made by Suresh hadn't created any constitutional crisis," said Achuthanandan. Opposition leader Oommen Chandy and K.M. Mani replied that the Chief Minister could not give reply to any of the allegations. "The explanation by Chief Minister is not acceptable to this House or to the people of Kerala. Till this moment, the Chief Minister or his office hasn't denied any of the allegations levelled by Suresh," Chandy pointed out.
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