CPM's Saji sworn-in Ker minister again

Congress and BJP held protests against reinstatement of Cheriyan

Press Trust of India

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI(M) leader Saji Cheriyan was on Wednesday again sworn in as Minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan government, nearly six months after he had resigned from the Cabinet following a furore over his alleged remarks against the Constitution.

Cheriyan was administered the oath of office by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at the Raj Bhavan where MLAs of the Congress-led UDF opposition were absent in protest against the reinstatement of the CPI(M) leader.

Speaker A N Shamseer, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, members of his Cabinet, few MLAs of the ruling LDF and some Left leaders were present at the simple and brief swearing-in ceremony where Cheriyan took solemn oath to uphold the Constitution and perform his duties according to it.

After attending the tea party hosted by the Governor at Raj Bhavan, Cheriyan drove to his old office at the Kerala Secretariat Annexe where he met mediapersons and expressed hope that he would get the same portfolios he was holding before his resignation.

He held the portfolios of Fisheries, Culture and Youth Affairs prior to his resignation. Both the Congress and BJP held protests against reinstatement of Cheriyan. Several Congress activists marched to Raj Bhavan and the party also announced a series of protest programmes across the State against Cheriyan's swearing-in.

Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan said Cheriyan had to quit his ministership as he had insulted the Constitution. "There is no change in the circumstance even now and no court has exonerated him till date. Cases against him are pending before both the magistrate court and high court," he said.

The decision to re-induct him in the Cabinet before a final decision comes from the court amounts to insulting the Constitution, the Congress leader said adding that the party could not accept this at any cost.

The BJP also staged protests in several parts of the State against the ruling CPI(M)'s decision to reinduct Cheriyan in the Cabinet. Senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar inaugurated the party's 'Constitution Protection Day' programme here against the swearing-in of the Minister.

The CPI(M) leader had resigned in July last year from the State Cabinet over his alleged remarks against the Constitution during a speech in Pathanamthitta district and the lodging of a criminal case against him in that connection.

The CPI(M) decided last week to bring him back into the Cabinet and sent a letter to the Governor on Saturday seeking his convenience for administering the oath of office to the MLA on January 4. Khan on Tuesday said he has approved Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's recommendation to re-induct Saji Cheriyan as a Minister.

However, a day before that he had created a bit of a flutter when he raised some concerns regarding Cheriyan's reinstatement saying "it was not a normal case". On the very next day, Khan said that he was bound by the advice of the Chief Minister and therefore, he has approved the government's recommendation to swear-in the CPI(M) leader as a Minister