As the first full budget of the Pinarayi Vijayan-government was marred by alleged document leak with the opposition baying for Finance Minister Thomas Isaac's blood, the Left leaders might be in a moment of deja vu as history repeated itself.
Flash back to 1957. The CPI-led government, under the leadership of E. M. S. Namboodiripad, was preparing themselves to present the first Budget of the first ever elected government of Kerala. Achutha Menon, the then finance minister, was supposed to present the Budget on June 7, 1957.
Interestingly, a Malayalam Daily—Kaumudi—published detailed estimates and Budget figures for forest, transport, commerce, civil government works, general administration, judiciary, police and jails, and education, among others, on June 5, 1957—two days before the actual budget was tabled in the Assembly.
This led to a huge ruckus with claims of violation of the Official Secrets Act doing the rounds. The Opposition had alleged that being a secret document, the reception and premature publication of the Budget in the newspaper was a violation of the Official Secrets Act.
A case was registered against the Editor, Printer and Publisher of the daily. While the three entities were the first accused, the city correspondent was named the second accused. The Sessions Judge found both the accused guilty. The first accused were asked to pay a fine of Rs 100 or in-default to serve a simple imprisonment for a period of one month, while the second accused had to pay a fine of Rs 75 or in-default to serve a simple imprisonment for 21 days.
The matter was then appealed in the High Court.
On his part, the then Finance minister Achutha Menon explained the procedure followed while preparing the Budget. He swore that the Budget papers were secret documents and were kept secret till it was presented in front of the Legislative Assembly.
He went on to add that any premature publication of the Budget proposals was bound to have repercussions on the economic conditions of the state.
The publisher had argued that the expression “official secrets” was not defined in the Official Secrets Act and petitioned that the punishment be withdrawn.
But the High Court, after hearing all counsels, maintained that the Budget matters are guarded secrets until the Budget is actually tabled in the Legislature. Maintaining that both the editor and the reporter were well aware of the importance of the Official Secrets Act, it went on to say that had the case been tried in the High Court, the severity of the punishment would have increased.
Back then, the leak had little effect on the then finance minister since the paper had owned up the responsibility. However, today, the current state Finance Minister Thomas Isaac is in a tricky position as it was his office that had distributed the copies.
“We distributed it early with the good intention that journalists will get their facts correct. But we failed to anticipate this kind of a scenario,” said a source with the finance minister's office.
He, however, ruled out that the minister may have to face any punitive action. “He did not commit any mistake deliberately,” insisted the staff.
Sources in the party said it is unlikely that Isaac will be removed. “But he will have to give a lot of explanation both inside and outside the party forums,” he said.