THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Kerala Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan hit back at the media over its coverage of bribery allegations raised by the Enforcement Directorate, questioning whether prominent headlines were enough to portray him as a corrupt politician before the people of the state.
“Just because you splash it across your headlines, does that make me a corrupt politician in the eyes of the people of Kerala? My personal integrity is not something that can be destroyed so easily,” Vijayan said.
His remarks came amid controversy over an ED report alleging bribery linked to his tenure as Kerala Chief Minister.
Vijayan rejected the allegations and indicated that he would confront the issue both politically and legally.
The veteran CPI(M) leader also took aim at the manner in which the allegations were being reported, suggesting that sections of the media were treating accusations as established facts.
Vijayan maintained that his public life and personal credibility had been built over decades and could not be undermined merely through allegations or prominent news coverage.
The ED allegations have triggered a fresh political confrontation in Kerala, with Vijayan and the CPI(M) rejecting the charges and accusing their opponents of using central investigative agencies for political purposes.
Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly rejected Enforcement Directorate bribery allegations and accused sections of the media of portraying accusations as facts through sensational headlines. The Kerala Opposition Leader and veteran CPI(M) figure says his personal integrity, built over decades, cannot be undermined so easily, and vows to fight the charges both politically and legally amid an escalating confrontation in the state.