The State government's decision to appoint Sriram Venkitaraman as District Collector of Alappuzha has kicked up a row.
Opposition parties — Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) — on Sunday hit out at the government and urged it to reconsider the decision.
Sriram Venkitaraman, currently Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, is accused in a case wherein a car reportedly driven by him hit and killed a journalist in Thiruvananthapuram in 2019. Venkitaraman was allegedly in an inebriated state when the accident happened. His appointment as Collector came as the trial in the case is progressing.
All India Congress Committee general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, MP, termed Venkitaraman's posting as District Collector very disappointing. Senior Congress leader and Haripad MLA Ramesh Chennithala asked why the government foisted a bureaucrat facing criminal charges on the people of Alappuzha. "We will not accept his appointment as Collector of Alappuzha. It is a challenge to the people. The government should immediately revoke the decision," Mr. Chennithala said.
Terming Venkitaraman a "tainted" person, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary and former MLA A.A. Shukhoor demanded that the government reconsider the decision. IUML district president A.M. Nazeer said that Venkitaraman's new posting was an insult to the people. Mr. Nazeer said that appointing a tainted bureaucrat to the post of the Collector with magisterial powers would create wide-ranging implications. The government should tender an apology for creating the situation.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists also protested against the government's move.
Dharna planned
The Congress party will organise a dharna in front of the Alappuzha District Collectorate on Monday in protest against the government decision.
Meanwhile, the comment option on the official Facebook page of the Alappuzha District Collector has been disabled. It has invited widespread criticism.
