Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that he had no knowledge of the source of government funds used to hire a chopper for his journey from Thrissur to Thiruvananthapuram on December 26.
Addressing the valedictory rally of the CPI(M) district conference here on Wednesday, Mr. Vijayan said he saw nothing wrong in the way payment was made from the State Disaster Relief Fund though he had instructed that it should not be done as soon as news reports about the issue came to his attention.
He had made the journey to meet the Central team that had reached the State capital to assess the gravity of the situation post-Cyclone Ockhi. There was no way to reach the capital on time other than by using a helicopter. If he had not done so, the criticism would have been that he had not even cared to meet the team which had come all the way from Delhi to study the cyclone havoc, Mr. Vijayan pointed out.
The former Chief Minister had visited Idukki once using a helicopter and the money was paid from the State Disaster Relief Fund. When Jayalalithaa died a little after I assumed office as Chief Minister, he had to go there. The time for the funeral had been decided and there was no other option but to use a special aircrft. “Four of us — the Governor, me as Chief Minister, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, and Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala — went togther. I don't know from which account the money was paid. That is not my job,” the Chief Minister said.
Normal things, he says
“We use different vehicles for different purposes, don't we? Normally, we all travel by car, but I don't pay for it from my pocket or from my family coffers. It is paid by the government. Isn't that the practice whenever the Chief Minister or a Minister travels? Suppose I go to Delhi or somwhere else. I will go by a plane. The money is paid by the government. Does anyone, any Minister ask, from which account the payment is made? Normally, all such things are done by officials. Is it my job as Chief Minister to track from which fund such payments are made? When the Chief Minister travels, they would naturally make the payment. Just goes to show that these are normal things,” the Chief Minister said.
