Kozhikode, Oct 22 (IANS) Senior Congress leaders in Kerala on Wednesday strongly opposed the state government’s move to implement the PM-SHRI scheme, warning that it should not be used to advance the “BJP’s political agenda”.

They also alleged that the move reflects a tacit understanding between the ruling CPI-M and the BJP.

AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal described the state government’s action as part of a broader coordination between the two parties.

“When one considers the concealment of the Enforcement Directorate notice against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s son and the repeated transfer of the Lavlin case in the Supreme Court, it appears to be part of this understanding,” Venugopal said.

He criticised the CPI-M for implementing the PM-SHRI scheme in a manner that deviates from declared policy guidelines.

“The PM-SHRI scheme was implemented in Karnataka in 2021 under a BJP government, not a Congress government, and in Telangana it was not rolled out during Congress rule,” he said.

Venugopal also denounced the Central government’s education stance, questioning the proposal for students to study Nathuram Godse instead of Mahatma Gandhi.

He asked whether the Rs 1,400 crore allocated for the scheme could be intended to enforce this agenda, and demanded clarity on CPI-M’s reversal from its earlier position despite CPI opposition.

Echoing similar concerns, KPCC President Sunny Joseph said the state must not yield to BJP’s political agenda while implementing the scheme.

“Funds provided by the Centre for Kerala’s progress are our tax contributions. These funds are our entitlement, and no conditions should be imposed,” he said.

Joseph also pointed to visible disunity within the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and said the Congress would closely monitor whether the CPI continues to oppose the scheme.

Earlier in the day, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam held a closed-door meeting with the four CPI ministers, instructing them to raise the matter in the weekly cabinet meeting.

At the meeting, CPI ministers did raise the issue but Chief Minister Vijayan and Education Minister V. Sivankutty refrained from commenting.

CPI leaders expressed discontent that the matter was not discussed in the broader LDF meeting and only surfaced after the Education Minister announced Kerala’s decision to move forward with the PM-SHRI programme.

–IANS

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