Appointment bribery controversy: Opposition is behind conspiracy against minister's office, attempt to defame state, says Chief Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPRAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has reacted to the appointment bribery controversy against the Health Minister's office. Speaking at the press conference on Thursday, the Chief Minister said that the media is trying to tarnish the functioning of the clean government for the sake of competition among them. He also alleged that the opposition was behind the conspiracy against the Health Minister's office.

"When new media outlets are coming, there is no need to defame the Health Minister and her office for the sake of overtaking major media outlets. However, some people tried to give maximum publicity to fake news. How to correct it? The media is still not ready to openly admit the lapse on their part. The media is trying to tarnish the functioning of the clean government for the sake of competition among them," the CM said.

"False allegations were raised against the Health Department at a time when it was standing tall after successfully combating Nipah. It is understood that all the people who raised the complaint were involved in it. What is to be known is whether someone else worked behind them. Those behind it must look critically at themselves whether to go forward in this way. This is not just undermining the government but also defaming the state," he added.