THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has revealed more documents on the deep sea fishing row, which has put the government in trouble. Today he has publicised, the MoU signed between the American firm EMCC and the state government and documents which reveal the land deals between the two parties. He also said that EMCC representatives have also met the chief minister.

“The chief minister met the company’s officials in New York and the documents of the company is the evidence for that. Mercykutty turned down the company’s proposals and sent them back. Whereas E P Jayarajan summoned the officials of the same company again and also allotted land to them to implement the project. The chief minister’s ministry has also entered into an agreement with the firm to built deep-sea fishing vessels. The ministry is making contradictory statements on the issue,” he said.

The opposition is gearing to push the controversy further alleging that the MoU signed with the company amounts to the rampant flouting of existing norms. Chennithala has aired yesterday a photo of the minister’s meeting with the company officials. He has also alleged that the minister is trying to divert the issue when it has surfaced in limelight.

Chief minister Pinaryi Vijayan has posted on Facebook yesterday in which he said that there won’t be any withdrawal from the state’s pre-determined fisheries policy. He also said that the chief minister’s office is also inquiring how did an MoU, which is against the fisheries policy was formulated in the first place? Meanwhile, the company has said that it is withdrawing from the Rs 5,000 crore worth project.