UDF doing hangman’s job, says Chief Minister

‘UDF helping Centre target KIIFB; agency being treated as enemy despite its transparency’

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) of doing a hangman’s job in executing the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) at the Centre’s bidding. Addressing the media here on Saturday morning, Mr. Vijayan decried the income tax raid at the KIIFB office and hours-long interrogation of its officials, including the Chief Executive Officer, late into the night. “This was despite the fact that KIIFB being a transparently-run financial agency has an organised system to respond to any queries immediately. What was the need to treat the agency and its officials as enemies?” he asked and accused the Central agencies of violating federal principles and encroaching on the State’s authority. Mr. Vijayan accused the Congress, UDF, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of adopting the same approach towards KIIFB. “It is through the doors opened by the UDF that the Central agencies have barged in. The Leader of the Opposition has become a spokesperson of the Central government and wants to destroy KIIFB, Life Mission, and even food and welfare pension,” the Chief Minister alleged.