Death of scooter rider after falling into pothole: Opposition leader's statement is strange, Public Work officials are not the ones who should be repairing potholes on national highway, says minister

KOCHI: Public Works Department Minister Mohamed Riyas has lashed out at Opposition leader VD Satheesan in connection with the incident in which a scooter passenger died after falling into a pothole on the national highway in Ernakulam. The Minister said that the statement of the opposition leader that the officials of the Public Works Department are the ones who should carry out the construction work on the national highway is completely strange. He also said that if Satheesan made the statement without knowing the facts, then he should be ready to correct it. The Minister also alleged that Satheesan was trying to protect the National Highway Authority employees.

"If the opposition leader made the statement deliberately, it can only be seen as a nefarious attempt to turn a death against the government. This was not the stand taken by then opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala when a similar incident took place on the national highway in Alappuzha," the minister said.

Earlier, Satheesan had alleged that the scooter rider's death in Nedumbassery was a systemic murder and that the public works officials and the government are responsible for it. "This is a systemic murder. It is the government's duty to fill the potholes and repair the roads properly before monsoon. Earlier, the government used to make the arrangements for repairing potholes directly. Now contractors have to do it. The problem was created by the administrative failure and irresponsible approach. Kerala is full of potholes. Now someone's life has been lost. Many people are at risk. There are people lying in hospitals with broken arms and legs," Satheesan said.