Private vehicle for Republic Day Parade; controversy is in the interest of some people; Mohammed Riyas

KOZHIKODE: Minister Mohammed Riyas with an explanation after the controversy of using a contractor's vehicle to receive the salute at the Republic Day Parade. The Minister clarified that it is the responsibility of the City Police Commissioner, Collector etc. of the respective districts to prepare the vehicles for the parade. Asking about the minister's role in the matter of the vehicle being used, Mohammed Riyas alleged that some people's desire to drink his blood was behind the controversy. Riyas said that it is not the minister's responsibility to check whether the vehicle belongs to an underworld king or a fugitive when it comes to an event like the Republic Day Parade. Riyas stated that the Kozhikode District Collector informed him that all procedures were followed.

The controversy arose when the minister, who was supposed to receive the salute in an open police jeep at Westhill Vikram Maidan, used a jeep belonging to Kairali Constructions in Mavur. Even though the minister has no special responsibility in providing a vehicle for the parade, the controversy arose when a jeep with the name of the contract company was delivered for the minister of public works. Since an open jeep was not available with the police, the commissioner wrote to the collector on January 19 requesting to allow the jeep belonging to Vipindas, a native of Mavur. The Collector gave permission and issued an order on the same day. In the permission order of the Collector, it was mentioned that the police should bear the vehicle rent and other expenses as there are no funds. However, it is not clear in the order what was the criteria for selecting the jeep of the contractor Vipindas. Top police officials said that the practice is to bring a jeep from other districts if the police does not have an open jeep in a district.