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Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 13 (IANS) Tension escalated within the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Thursday after Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty publicly criticized the CPI over the state’s withdrawal from the Centre’s PM SHRI school project.
CPI is the second largest ally of the LDF government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Shivankutty, visibly upset by the decision, said the government had taken a “collective and considered stand” after long deliberations and there was no question of anyone “teaching the CPI(M) how to maintain Left values”.
Incidentally, in the weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister Vijayan informed that a letter of withdrawal has been sent to the Centre.
He said the CPI(M) had fully adhered to the PM SHRI agreement to secure constitutionally entitled central funds while protecting Kerala’s secular and progressive education system.
“We had ensured that there would be no compromise on our secular ethos,” Sivankutty said. He said the decision to withdraw was taken only after consultation and should not be portrayed as a victory for the CPI.
He indicated that the withdrawal has jeopardized access to the Rs 15,000 crore SSK (Samagra Shiksha Kerala) fund.
“If those funds are stopped, it is not my responsibility as the education minister,” he said.
Responding to Sivankutty’s jibe, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam exercised deliberate restraint, saying “there is no need to instigate”.
Refusing to get involved in the public controversy, he commented, “I don’t know why Shivankutty is so agitated.”
“As state secretary, I will not make any further comments. Political maturity is needed now. I am not Sivankutty’s teacher; if anyone has to advise him, let the CPI(M) leadership do so.”
Viswam reiterated that “PM Sree’s withdrawal is a victory for leftist ideology”, while he clarified that PM Sree and SSK schemes were separate and the BJP was “deliberately trying to mix the two”.
“The SSK fund is the real right of Kerala and if the Center is dishonest, the LDF will take on the Centre,” he said.
–IANS
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