Govt took action for state's safety, happy that Prasanth got suspended, says Mercykutty Amma

KOLLAM: Former minister J Mercykutty Amma said that she was happy that Agriculture Department special secretary N Prasanth got suspended. Speaking to the media, Mercykutty Amma said that the government should've suspended Prasanth earlier. She also stated that Prasanth's argument that the government did not seek an explanation from him was wrong.

"The government took the action for the safety of the state. Strict action will be taken if any official is found to have engaged in wrongdoing," Mercykutty Amma said.

The other day, Mercykutty Amma had come out raising severe criticism against Prasanth. In a lengthy Facebook post, Mercykutty Amma accused Prasanth of masterminding a political conspiracy around the contentious approval of deep-sea fishing contract during her tenure.

She claimed that the controversy over the deep-sea contract was part of a scheme to secure coastal areas for the UDF. She recounted events from February 2021, when the then-Leader of Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala, alleged that a Rs 5,000 crore MoU was signed between the Fisheries Department and EMCC International for deep-sea fishing. Mercykutty Amma clarified that the MoU was instead signed by the KSINC, where Prasanth served as the Managing Director and had no involvement from the Fisheries Department.

According to Mercykutty Amma, the allegations stemmed from a script orchestrated by Prasanth and Chennithala, whom she alleged conspired to influence voters and tarnish her credibility. She claimed the campaign falsely depicted her as selling out the state’s marine resources, creating widespread controversy ahead of the 2021 elections.

Mercykutty Amma argued that the plot targeted her support among coastal constituencies and was promoted by political rivals who, despite their efforts, saw the LDF win a significant majority in coastal areas. The only exception, she noted, was the Kollam Diocese, which supported the opposition.