CPI toughens stand on PM SHRI; Cong continues to attack Left govt

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 22 (PTI) The CPI, the second-largest coalition partner in the ruling LDF, on Wednesday toughened its stand against Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty's announcement to join the Centre's PM SHRI scheme.

Speaking to reporters here, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam said the National Education Policy would not be implemented in the state at any cost.

"As per my understanding, the designated central funds would be provided only if the NEP is implemented completely," he said.

He said CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby had already categorically made it clear that the NEP would not be implemented in Kerala.

The CPI also shares similar views of CPI(M) that the PM SHRI, which reflects the RSS agenda, cannot be implemented in the state, the leader added.

Stating that the CPI(M) is one of the parties in the country which strongly opposes the RSS politically and ideologically, he said such a party won't support any of the programmes of the right-wing outfit.

Viswam's remarks came amidst a section of media reports that the CPI ministers raised strong concerns about the central scheme in a cabinet meeting held here.

Meanwhile, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan continued to criticise the Left government over its decision to join the PM SHRI.

Addressing reporters in Pattambi in Palakkad, Satheesan urged the state government not to accept the conditions that seek to impose the BJP's alleged communal politics along with the central funds.

The BJP's agenda to impose communal politics is embedded in the PM SHRI scheme, he further alleged.

"If the state government intervenes to remove such conditions and accepts the central funds, the opposition will have no objection. After all, the central funds do not belong to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's family," the LoP added.

While replying to reporters' queries in Alappuzha, Venugopal said Kerala has been witnessing a "BJP-CPI(M) deal" in many issues for some time.

"The PM-SHRI is one among such matters. That's why the state government has taken such a deviation from the party's proclaimed stand," he alleged.

He also said people of the state are now asking about the reason for this policy shift.

However, senior BJP leader and former union minister V Muraleedharan urged the Communist leaders to stop playing "hide-and-seek" over PM SHRI.

Stating that the Kerala government has no valid reason to oppose the PM SHRI scheme, he said it has been the CPI(M)'s tradition to oppose every good initiative at first.

"Children should not be denied a better future just because they are born in Kerala," he said, urging the Pinarayi government to clearly declare that the NEP would be implemented in the state.

As the nation moves forward rapidly, Kerala must learn to stand with that progress-- by abandoning "opportunism and double standards", Muraleedharan said in a statement.

Education Minister Sivankutty recently announced that the state would join the PM SHRI scheme to get the due central funds but asserted that it would not backtrack from the existing educational policy in the state. PTI LGK KH