Pinarayi Vijayan trains guns on CM Satheesan over PM SHRI, Punarjani

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan has launched a broadside on the V.D. Satheesan-led UDF government, accusing it of reversing its pre-election stand on the Centre’s PM SHRI school scheme and abandoning its opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP).

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Vijayan alleged that the Congress-led government was now preparing to implement PM SHRI after having campaigned against it, and demanded that Chief Minister Satheesan and the Education Minister explain the apparent change in policy.

Describing PM SHRI as an instrument through which the BJP was attempting to saffronise the country’s education sector, Vijayan said the previous CPI(M)-led LDF government had consistently opposed implementing the scheme as it was linked to the National Education Policy (NEP), which the Left had rejected.

He maintained that while the previous government had signed an MoU with the Centre, it was only to secure funds that had been withheld and not to implement PM SHRI.

According to him, the LDF subsequently informed the Union government that Kerala would not proceed with the scheme and ensured that no follow-up action was taken before demitting office.

Vijayan alleged that after assuming office, the Satheesan government began moving towards implementing PM SHRI despite having accused the previous government during the election campaign of entering into a Left-BJP deal.

He said the UDF had now formally decided to go ahead with the scheme and that even the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) had abandoned its earlier opposition.

Referring to a recent reply in the Rajya Sabha, Vijayan claimed the Union government had clarified that a state was free to withdraw from the scheme even after signing an MoU.

He said this contradicted the State government’s contention that there was no option but to proceed. “The government owes the people an explanation and an apology for misleading them during the election campaign,” Vijayan said, adding that several Congress-ruled states had already embraced the PM SHRI scheme and Kerala now appeared to be following the same path.

The former Chief Minister also accused the Satheesan government of displaying an increasing willingness to appease Sangh Parivar forces within months of assuming office, alleging that recent decisions pointed in that direction.

He further criticised the government’s silence over the Centre’s latest draft notification on Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA). Recalling the debates surrounding the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committee reports, Vijayan claimed that leaders who now occupy key positions in the UDF, including Satheesan, had earlier supported expanding environmentally protected areas.

He demanded that the government clearly spell out its stand on the new ESA draft.

Reviving another politically sensitive issue, Vijayan questioned the state government’s decision to close the vigilance case related to Punarjani, the rehabilitation initiative undertaken by Satheesan after the 2018 floods.

He alleged that the vigilance inquiry had unearthed serious findings regarding funds collected through a private foundation for the programme and said the previous LDF government had deliberately allowed the investigation to continue rather than pursuing what he described as a political vendetta.

Claiming that the case had now been closed by the Home Department, Vijayan questioned the decision and demanded that it be reconsidered. “Let the investigating agencies complete a free and fair probe. The case should not have been wound up midway,” he said.

IANS