Congress leader's death: CPI(M) wants to invoke abetment charges against MLA
Wayanad (Kerala) (PTI): The suicide of a local Congress leader and his bedridden son has triggered a political row in Kerala's Wayanad as the ruling CPI(M) alleged that a cooperative bank job scam involving the grand old party's MLA I C Balakrishnan was the reason for their extreme step.
However, Balakrishnan has denied the charges.
Wayanad District Congress Committee (DCC) treasurer and former Sultan Bathery panchayat president, N M Vijayan, 78, and his son Jijesh, 38 had breathed their last at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital on Friday.
Soon after their death, allegations cropped up that Vijayan, in his capacity as the office bearer of the party, had accepted money from many who aspired to get a job in a Congress-controlled cooperative bank under the direction of MLA Balakrishnan.
There were also reports that as the promised job appointments were not given, the deceased leader recently sent a letter to the KPCC chief requesting his intervention in the matter.
Though I C Balakrishnan, who represents Sulthan Bathery constituency, vehemently rejected the charges, the CPI(M) district leadership on Sunday urged the police to invoke abetment of suicide charges against him in the death of the Vijayan and his son.
"Earlier also, many people approached public activists with complaints on the recruitment issues. They did not reveal the complaints openly out of fear that they wouldn't get their money back. They also faced several threats," CPI(M) Wayanad district secretary K Rafeeq said.
He said, as per his knowledge, those who had given money for the job, are now getting ready to pursue legal measures against the accused. Corruption issues were involved in the matter as money was accepted illegally promising jobs, he further said.
"A person who is holding the post of the MLA has a key role in the issue. There is also another issue that the KPCC leadership was not ready to intervene in it despite receiving a complaint. So, the CPI(M) is viewing it as a serious matter," Rafeeq added.
However, I C Balakrishnan said he would face the issue legally with the permission of the Congress party.
The MLA said he had not seen the purported document — circulated by a section of media — reportedly signed by the deceased leader and a job aspirant which allegedly said that Rs 30 lakh was given for the appointment as directed by Balakrishnan.
Balakrishnan told reporters here that it was a fake document and he had no knowledge about a contract like this.
He also said that he would lodge a complaint to the district police chief soon.
Vijayan and his son Jijesh allegedly consumed poison at their home and were found by their neighbours in critical condition on Tuesday, police said.
They were initially admitted to a private hospital and later shifted to Kozhikode Medical College.
Vijayan was a prominent Congress leader in Wayanad. Jijesh, a former employee of Sultan Bathery Cooperative Bank, had been bedridden for an extended period due to health issues.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
