The row over the State government’s decision to engage a U.S. company for analysing COVID-19 data has triggered dissensions in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Rumblings in LDF surfaced with the Communist Party of India (CPI) reportedly expressing discontent over the IT department’s decision to engage the firm without the consent of the Cabinet and Law Department clearance.
Secretary’s briefing
IT Secretary M. Sivasankar met CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran and briefed him about the circumstances that prompted the government to ink the deal with Sprinklr company.
Mr. Rajendran later called on Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and held discussions about the deal.
Similar views
Later, Mr. Balakrishnan told reporters that both Communist parties shared similar views on data sanctity and individual privacy and the CPI(M) was open for discussions with the CPI for clearing the air.
Exigencies called for extraordinary decisions and the pact with Sprinklr was one such.
“The CPI(M) does not think that the government has gone overboard on the pact or violated the party’s stance on data handling. Adequate safeguards have been made to prevent data leak or trading. Moreover, it could be examined once the crisis blows over,” he said.
Mr. Balakrishnan accused the Opposition of attempting to derail the virus containment efforts and creating a smokescreen by raising allegations against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family members.
Different stance
Differences in the BJP surfaced with State president K. Surendran pressing his demand for a Vigilance probe into the Sprinklr deal and general secretary M.T. Ramesh demanding a CBI probe. Both leaders stuck to their stance exposing the chinks in the organisational apparatus.
