Kerala: Opposition attacks Left government over issues in investment sector

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's ruling CPI(M) on Monday came under attack from the opposition Congress and the BJP over the issue of closing down of a hardware shop in Kannur district due to the disruption of its function allegedly by CITU activists, even as the government initiated steps to resolve the matter.

Amid mounting criticism over the handling of the issue that forced the owner to shut his hardware shop at Mathamangalam in Kannur, state Labour Minister V Sivankutty directed Labour Commissioner S Chithra, an IAS officer, to convene a meeting of both the parties in detail and resolve the issue through conciliation.

The shop at Mathamangalam was closed down after the CITU workers allegedly disrupted its function after it secured an order from the Kerala High Court for loading and unloading of goods at the shop with its own workers.

Slamming the CPI(M) and its trade union wing CITU, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, said the incident reported from the Chief Minister's home district Kannur punctured the claim of his government that the atmosphere in the southern state was conducive for investment.

"The Chief Minister and his ministers are going abroad to attract foreign investment to the state. On the other hand, domestic investors are driven to suicide in the name of protection of labour. This is not an isolated incident", Satheesan said in a Facebook post, a day after the shop was allegedly forced to close down due to disruptive activities of CITU workers.

The government policy and action are totally different, the Congress leader alleged.

BJP state president K Surendran alleged that the CPI(M) was chasing away the entrepreneurs from Kerala. He said it was not possible to start an industry or a business in the southern state due to the 'wrong policy' of the Left government.