‘In a way, Shaji saved government money’: Sunny Joseph's unusual justification over car row

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister Sunny Joseph has offered an unusual justification for Minister K M Shaji's use of a private individual's Range Rover. He said Shaji was, in a way, saving government money by using a private vehicle, as a government vehicle would involve expenses on diesel, repairs, tyre replacement and the driver's salary.

“Using a government vehicle would involve expenses on diesel, repairs, tyre replacement and payment to the driver. So, in a way, Shaji was saving government money,” Sunny Joseph said.

K M Shaji responds

K M Shaji had responded to the controversy through a Facebook post on Sunday. He said he had not started using the car after becoming a minister and had used the same vehicle several times over the past five years when he did not hold any position of power. He said there was nothing wrong with using a friend's vehicle after following the required procedures.

Shaji also said that friends who have good vehicles kept at home could lend them to ministers. Referring to the owner of the Range Rover, he wrote that those who wanted to become famous like Yakoob Thillankeri could lend him their vehicles, which he could use after obtaining the necessary permission.

He said the media should investigate whether anyone was gaining any undue benefit from the government in the name of friendship. He added that if he had done anything of that sort, he should not be shown any leniency.

Responding to those who had threatened to stop the vehicle, Shaji sarcastically said that his vehicle did not have any “fake banana bunch”. He explained that he had started using his friend's car because his official Innova Crysta had travelled more than four lakh kilometres and was no longer suitable for long journeys.