Malappuram not a land of black money; KC hits back at CM

AICC GENERAL secretary K C Venugopal on Monday accused Pinarayi Vijayan of doing injustice to Malappuram and said the chief minister insulted the district by calling it a land of gold smuggling and black money.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Malappuram

Venugopal, who was speaking after inaugurating the UDF election convention in Nilambur, also hit out at the CM for his remark on Sunday that the upcoming assembly bypoll was a fallout of a betrayal.

He alleged that the money earned through gold smuggling in Malappuram was being used for treasonous activities.

"The CM has brought Malappuram under a shadow of suspicion. Gold smuggling is reported in every district, but the CM singled out Malappuram," he said. Venugopal alleged that the LDF government's manoeuvres helped BJP secure a Lok Sabha seat from Kerala. Referring to frequent instances of damage being reported on the NH 66 stretch, he asked: "Shocking things happened during the construction of the national highway. The CM did not even visit the site," he said.