‘Any car used by a minister is official vehicle, viral photo is fake,’ says K M Shaji

KOZHIKODE: Minister K M Shaji has issued a clarification regarding the controversy over his travel in a Range Rover. He explained that a vehicle used by a minister becomes a ministerial vehicle and that this is what the law stipulates. Shaji said the law prohibits the use of official posts for personal purposes, but there is nothing legally wrong with using private vehicles for government purposes.

He said CPM's cyber team launched a campaign against him. A photo was circulated on social media claiming to show Minister K M Shaji standing with a bar owner. The minister added that the same person also had photos with Pinarayi Vijayan and A N Shamseer.

Shaji also raised a sharp attack on the media over the Range Rover controversy. He alleged that the media had reported the matter in a one-sided manner. He claimed that the photo showing him leaning against a Range Rover, which had been widely circulated in the media, was fake. He said the media should have verified the authenticity of the photo before publishing it.

Shaji expressed confidence that he had done nothing wrong. He said new rules would have to be introduced if he were to be held accountable over the car issue. He added that the question of whether using the car raised any ethical concerns should be considered. He said that his only concern was that party workers had been upset by the controversy. He further stated that he had been acting with the intention of ensuring that nothing he did would impose a financial burden on the government.