Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition, V.D. Satheesan, has strongly criticized the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. He alleges that the state government has caved in to pressure from the Central government, agreeing to implement the PM-SHRI scheme. Satheesan describes this scheme as “RSS-inspired and politically primed,” arguing it was forced upon them to unlock essential Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds meant for school education.
During a press conference in Ernakulam on Friday, Mr. Satheesan claimed that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan yielded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s influence by endorsing the PM-SHRI scheme. He emphasized that this scheme is inherently linked to the National Education Policy (NEP), which he views as “anti-federal, communally divisive, and overtly centrist.”
Satheesan asserted, “Mr. Vijayan has betrayed the national resistance against the NEP. He has disregarded fundamental coalition ethics by failing to inform the Communist Party of India (CPI), a crucial LDF partner, about this controversial decision. The Chief Minister did not bring the matter before the Cabinet and neglected to consult with the Opposition. Furthermore, he contradicted the CPI(M)’s national stance opposing both the PM-SHRI scheme and the NEP. According to Satheesan, General Education Minister V. Sivankutty and the state leadership of the CPI(M) merely followed suit.”
Education in the Concurrent List
Mr. Satheesan highlighted that education falls under the concurrent list, meaning both the central and state governments have jurisdiction. He stressed that the Right to Education Act necessitates the unconditional release of SSA funds to states. “These allocations are not charity from the Centre,” he argued. “They are the rightful entitlement of states, which contribute significantly to the central government’s divisible tax pool. Tying central educational grants to the politically charged PM-SHRI scheme and the NEP is fundamentally anti-federal.”
Mr. Satheesan said the CPI(M) has “sparked a mutiny” in the ruling coalition by giving short shrift to objections raised by the CPI and later, the RJD. “CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan had denied the very existence of the CPI,” he said.
CPI’s Alliance Dilemma
When questioned about the United Democratic Front (UDF) potentially welcoming the CPI should they leave the LDF, Mr. Satheesan responded, “That’s a hypothetical scenario. The CPI is a respected Left party with a strong historical standing. The decision regarding their future course of action rests entirely with the CPI.”