Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan here on Wednesday slammed the Left Democratic Front government for taking sides with the BJP and pushing the State to an incredibly dire financial situation.
In an interaction with the media in Kottayam , Mr.Satheesan pointed out that it was quite astonishing that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan remained silent on the accomplishments of his government over the last eight years. Kerala finds itself in an incredibly dire situation, one that remains unspoken by its leadership.
``It’s disheartening to note that the government recently asserted in court that social security pensions are not a guaranteed right. Pensions are not mere favours bestowed by the Chief Minister, they are obligations of a welfare State,’’ he said.
According to Mr.Satheesan, the public had been told during the Navakerala Sadass that the State was entitled to ₹56,700 crore from the Centre. However, subsequent scrutiny by the Opposition in the Assembly revealed this to be a fabricated claim. Interestingly, when Kerala filed a petition in the Supreme Court, there was no mention of the supposed ₹56,700 crore. Instead, the petition solely focussed on seeking permission for Kerala, staggering under a debt of four lakh crores, to borrow more.
He also criticised Mr. Vijayan for directing his election campaign against the Congress and Rahul Gandhi instead of taking on the BJP. ``Rahul Gandhi leads the INDIA alliance, formed to combat what is perceived as a fascist, communal government at the centre. But Mr.Vijayan’s actions seem to align more with supporting BJP’s vision of a Congress-free India, which appear to appease the BJP. His stance stems from fear, as he feels surrounded by Central agencies’’, he said.
Holding that the United Democratic Front will wrest the Alappuzha and Kottayam seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, he flagged an alleged attempt by the CPI(M) to create space for the BJP despite its limited presence here. ``This strategy was evident when the Left Democratic Front convener suggested that the BJP might secure the second position, hinting at the strength of their candidates. Such an outcome, however, will only push the LDF to the third position’’, he added.
To a query on The Kerala Story controversy, Mr. Satheesan pointed out that the Church itself had called for an end to the controversy surrounding the episode. ``Behind this controversy lies the agenda of the Sangh Parivar. However, the Church has unequivocally emphasised the importance of unity and harmony,’’ he said.
