CPI(M) accuses Satheesan of misusing govt helicopter for personal trip
A political row has erupted over Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan’s reported use of a state government helicopter for a personal trip to Kochi. The CPI(M) has accused Satheesan of misusing the helicopter, which was hired primarily as an air ambulance and for emergency operations, to visit his father-in-law, who was undergoing treatment.The controversy stems from reports that Satheesan attempted to travel from the Golf Club helipad in Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi on July 31, Friday. According to reports, the aircraft was unable to land in Kochi due to bad weather and returned to Thiruvananthapuram. The journey was reportedly completed later.Former minister and CPI(M) State committee member MB Rajesh criticised the Chief Minister in a Facebook post, alleging that the helicopter flew from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi twice for a private purpose instead of being used for flood relief or any official duty.“There is a government helicopter in the sky. It flew from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi. Not once, but twice. Not for flood relief. Not for any official purpose. Entirely personal,” Rajesh wrote.He also took a swipe at the media, questioning why there was no public outrage or prime-time debate over the incident. Rajesh alleged that had a Communist Chief Minister undertaken a similar trip, the media would have reacted with “moral outrage.”Former Education Minister and CPI(M) veteran V Sivankutty also weighed in on the issue. Sharing a video of a helicopter on Facebook, he wrote, “As times change, a helicopter flies…”Health Minister K Muraleedharan, meanwhile, defended the Chief Minister, dismissing the criticism over the use of the helicopter. “When times change, people choose helicopters instead of cars. What is wrong in that? No one has ever objected to the use of helicopters,” the minister told reporters.The controversy has also revived memories of an earlier political dispute over the use of government helicopters. While in the Opposition, the Congress had criticised former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for using a helicopter to visit areas affected by Cyclone Ockhi, accusing the LDF government of wasteful expenditure. The CPI(M), however, defended the decision, arguing that the helicopter was being used for official disaster-response duties.
A POLITICAL row has erupted over Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan’s reported use of a state government helicopter for a personal trip to Kochi.
The CPI(M) has accused Satheesan of misusing the helicopter, which was hired primarily as an air ambulance and for emergency operations, to visit his father-in-law, who was undergoing treatment.
The controversy stems from reports that Satheesan attempted to travel from the Golf Club helipad in Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi on July 31, Friday. According to reports, the aircraft was unable to land in Kochi due to bad weather and returned to Thiruvananthapuram. The journey was reportedly completed later.
Former minister and CPI(M) State committee member MB Rajesh criticised the Chief Minister in a Facebook post, alleging that the helicopter flew from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi twice for a private purpose instead of being used for flood relief or any official duty.
“There is a government helicopter in the sky. It flew from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi. Not once, but twice. Not for flood relief. Not for any official purpose. Entirely personal,” Rajesh wrote.
He also took a swipe at the media, questioning why there was no public outrage or prime-time debate over the incident. Rajesh alleged that had a Communist Chief Minister undertaken a similar trip, the media would have reacted with “moral outrage.”
Former Education Minister and CPI(M) veteran V Sivankutty also weighed in on the issue. Sharing a video of a helicopter on Facebook, he wrote, “As times change, a helicopter flies…”
Health Minister K Muraleedharan, meanwhile, defended the Chief Minister, dismissing the criticism over the use of the helicopter. “When times change, people choose helicopters instead of cars. What is wrong in that? No one has ever objected to the use of helicopters,” the minister told reporters.
The controversy has also revived memories of an earlier political dispute over the use of government helicopters.
While in the Opposition, the Congress had criticised former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for using a helicopter to visit areas affected by Cyclone Ockhi, accusing the LDF government of wasteful expenditure. The CPI(M), however, defended the decision, arguing that the helicopter was being used for official disaster-response duties.
