Leader of Opposition Satheesan Accuses Kerala Excise Minister Rajesh of Dishonesty Amid Brewery Controversy
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On February 3, in Kochi, the Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan accused Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh of dishonesty amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the approval for a brewery and alcohol manufacturing facilities in Palakkad. The accusations highlight serious concerns regarding compliance and environmental impact.
Key Takeaways
- V.D. Satheesan labels M.B. Rajesh a liar.
- Approval granted to Oasis Commercial Pvt Ltd raises concerns.
- Documents reveal the truth behind the ethanol plant project.
- Accusations involve collusion with state officials.
- Congress and BJP criticize government actions.
Kochi, Feb 3 (NationPress) In the midst of the ongoing controversy regarding the approval for a brewery and various alcohol production facilities in Palakkad, the Leader of Opposition in Kerala, V.D. Satheesan, accused Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh of being a liar. On Monday, Satheesan responded to Rajesh's comments about the approval granted to Oasis Commercial Pvt Ltd for establishing an ethanol plant, a multi-feed distillation unit, an Indian-made foreign liquor bottling unit, a brewery, a malt spirit plant, and a brandy/winery plant on a 26-acre site purchased two years ago in Kanjikode, Palakkad.
Satheesan stated, “Since this issue has arisen, Rajesh has been consistently spreading falsehoods. He claimed that the permission was granted to a company whose key official is currently imprisoned due to the Delhi excise policy case after they ‘applied’ to set up a facility here. Then he stated that Oasis had received approval from the IOC.”
To counter Rajesh's assertions, Satheesan presented a pertinent document, which indicated, “According to the direction from NITI Aayog and the invitation from the state government, we intend to establish a world-class 500L KLPD capacity ethanol plant with an investment ranging from Rs 600 to 650 crore, which will proceed in phases based on the availability of required resources.”
The document continued, “We are including here the invitation from oil companies for signing an Expression of Interest for a long-term off-take agreement with upcoming dedicated ethanol facilities in Tamil Nadu and Kerala aimed at supplying Denatured Anhydrous Ethanol to oil marketing companies through E-tender for your reference. To participate in the E-tender, we must meet two conditions: 1. Land Availability 2. Water Availability.”
Satheesan asserted that these documents sufficiently demonstrate that Rajesh's claims are baseless. “He is a liar and has been caught red-handed,” he remarked.
He further alleged, “This arrangement with Oasis Company has been orchestrated by Rajesh with the complete support of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, with assistance from TRS leader K. Kavitha, who was also jailed in the Delhi excise policy case. The necessary approval from the Kerala Water Authority for water supply was expedited for the company.”
Both the Congress and the BJP have strongly opposed the Vijayan government’s decision to sanction Oasis Company, labeling it as a flagrant breach of all rules and regulations, detrimental to the water-scarce Palakkad district, and likely to cause significant pollution in the area.
