Kerala BJP expels leader for taking bribe from bizman
The Kerala BJP on Thursday expelled a party leader for allegedly taking a bribe of ~5.6 crore from a businessman by promising to help a hospital in Varkala obtain medical college status.
The matter came to light when the findings of an internal probe conducted by the party’s state unit were leaked to the media. Though state BJP chief Kummanam Rajasekharan had earlier denied the existence of such a report, he was eventually forced to expel the accused – state co-operative cell convenor RS Vinod – from the party. “Vinod has committed a grave mistake. His action has put the party in a lot of trouble and sullied its image,” he said in a statement.
“We have zero tolerance towards corruption,” BJP’s Kerala in-charge H Raja told Hindustan Times. CPI(M) MPs on Thursday also raised the matter in the Lok Sabha, demanding action against the BJP leaders.
The leaked report figured prominently in Lok Sabha proceedings on Thursday, with the Congress as well as the CPI(M) demanding explanations from the ruling party. The embarrassed BJP top brass, in turn, sought a clarification from its state unit.
According to the report, a copy of which is with HT, Vinod has admitted to accepting a monetary bribe to facilitate the grant of medical college status to SR Hospital through the Medical Council of India. He allegedly routed the money through Sathish Nair, a middleman in Delhi.
The opposition demanded a CBI probe, questioning the Modi government’s claim of a corruption-free government.“The BJP’s tall claims stand exposed now. We want a CBI inquiry into the kickbacks,” Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said.
Rajasekharan had set up a two-member panel – comprising party members KP Sreesan and AK Nazir – after SR Educational and Charitable Trust chairperson R Shaji alleged that the institute failed to acquire recognition from the council even though he had bribed Vinod. “We found the charges true. There is a mafia working behind the Medical Council of India, and the Centre had appointed the Lodha Commission to overcome it. But incidents like these still happen, and the party has to take a serious look at them,” the concluding part of the report stated.
The probe panel also identified other party leaders who allegedly sought kickbacks from a different hospital in Palakkad district. Though party general secretary MT Ramesh’s name is also said to have cropped up during the investigation, he denied all allegations.
Back home, state Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala compared the alleged scam to Madhya Pradesh’s Vyapam row and demanded a CBI inquiry.
Rising Hindu nationalism has hijacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s China policy and could lead the two countries to war, Chinese state media said on Thursday, adding a warning that it could put India’s own interests in “jeopardy”.
The latest salvo from Chinese state media — in the backdrop of an ongoing military impasse near the Sikkim border — reminded New Delhi that it is “weaker” than China in “national strength” but Indian politicians have failed to grasp that reality.
Sounding a warning, the commentary also reminded the Modi government about its failure to curb Hindu nationalistic violence against Muslims since coming to power in 2014.
The state media article indicated the current standoff was planned and executed to cater to Hindu nationalistic sentiments.
Modi rode a wave of rising religious nationalism to power in 2014 and is now pandering to the sentiments through its “strong” policies against China and Pakistan, said the analysis published in the tabloid, Global Times.
“The election of Narendra Modi has fuelled the country’s nationalist sentiments. Modi took advantage of rising Hindu nationalism to come to power. This, on one hand, has enhanced his prestige and ability to control the country, but on the other, has made India more subject to the influence of conservatives, thus hampering reform,” it said.
“In diplomacy, New Delhi is demanded to act tougher in foreign relations, especially toward countries like Pakistan and China. The border row this time is an action targeted at China that caters to the demand of India’s religious nationalists,” the commentary said.
Targeting Muslims has been part of the rising religious nationalism, it said.
“The Modi government can do nothing if religious nationalism becomes extreme, as shown in its failure to curb violent incidents against Muslims since he came to power,” the GT commentary, written by Yu Ning, said.