Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan says he saw a conspiracy to lay down a smokescreen of lies to besmirch his government and hound him personally.
The plotters had attempted to create an impression that the CM and his family had a corrupt motive in engaging the U.S.-based data analytics firm Sprinklr Inc.
Mr. Vijayan on Wednesday put up a fierce defence of his government’s actions by challenging the Opposition to come up with evidence of wrongdoing. The government had hired Sprinklr to crunch health data to inform its containment strategy better. He dropped a strong hint that a coterie of persons linked to the media had allied with powers intent on besmirching him and the government.
Congress legislator Eldos Kunapally’s allegation that his (Pinarayi’s) daughter had business links with Sprinklr was sheer “absurdity”. He said it was the political culture of the Opposition to strike personally lucrative contracts away from the public eye.
“I do not share their habits.” The High Court had made no adverse observation about the government when it considered a petition questioning the necessity and legality of the Sprinklr agreement. The HC had raised a set of questions, which some sections of the media had inaccurately portrayed as queries inimical to the government. The State would give its answers soon.
He sought to set the record straight on his often fraught relationship with the media. A few publications had attempted to create an impression that some officials had at the instance of the CM prevented journalists from quizzing him on the government’s contract with Sprinklr.
“Both of us know that is not the truth. I had pointed out that it was 7 p.m. and we could meet again on Wednesday. I have never shown any intolerance towards journalists or hostile questioning,’’ he said.
