Messi deal under scanner, says CM Satheesan; promises action

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 13 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Thursday said the controversial agreement with the Argentine Football Association (AFA) linked to Lionel Messi’s proposed visit to the state in 2025 was being subjected to a detailed probe, with preliminary findings pointing to grave errors and possible GST violations.

Satheesan said the agreement had been handed over to a private company without inviting an Expression of Interest, while the state government appeared to have been kept in the dark.

“We are seriously looking into it,” he said, adding that the Finance Department would take steps to recover any loss to the exchequer if GST violations were established.

He said the preliminary report had also revealed that the GST issue had been detected during the previous government’s tenure but was subsequently put into cold storage.

A detailed probe is now underway, and the nature of further action would depend on its findings, he said.

The government would examine whether the state’s interests had been adequately protected and fix responsibility wherever necessary.

On the Meta controversy, Satheesan said his only request to Meta concerned the official Instagram account of the Chief Minister’s Office.

He denied seeking the removal of posts critical of him and said nobody in his office had approached Meta for such action.

“The Left people who got my interview to a leading television channel removed by writing to Meta are now alleging that I had made such a request. This is totally baseless,” he said.

Satheesan added that he was willing to write to Meta asking that any posts about him that had been removed be restored, and would support media organisations taking up the matter with the company.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet decided to provide Rs 2 lakh each to the families/victims of the 2024 Wayanad disaster, involving a total outlay of Rs 5 crore.

Guidelines for distribution of Onam bonus to employees of PSUs for 2025-26 were also approved.

The Chief Minister said commercial movement of EXIM cargo through Vizhinjam port would begin on August 18, marking a shift from its present transshipment-only operations.

The Cabinet also decided to oppose the Centre’s Mines and Minerals Development Bill, terming it an encroachment on the State’s constitutional domain.

Satheesan said land-related matters had traditionally remained within the state’s sphere and that the proposed legislation struck at federalism.

Kerala would inform the Centre of its opposition and, if the Bill became law, would seek legal recourse.

An SOP for dealing with cases of fishermen going missing at sea is expected to be announced shortly, the CM said.

–IANS

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