After the "epoch making" Nava Kerala Sadass that saw Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (also known as Karana Bhoothan) leading his entire council of ministers for a State-wide tour from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram, the CPI(M) is all prepared for the next stage of its Lok Sabha election campaign.
"The Nava Kerala Sadass was held to create an awareness among the people of the State about the kind of welfare measures and schemes unleashed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, our glowing Sun," said M V Govindan, the lively secretary of Kerala CPI(M).
He said the NKS was the first of its kind event in the country which saw the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues visiting all assembly constituencies in the State to interact with the people and solve their problems. "Having succeeded in that mission, we are into the next phase of the Lok sabha Election Campaign. On 20th January, the DYFI, our party's youth wing, will hold a human chain from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram to proclaim to the world that the Central Government is throttling the Kerala Government by denying us all financial dues as well as preventing the State to borrow money from outside world," said E P Jayarajan, convener, Left Democratic Front and former industries minister.
The entire LDF constituents including the fringe outfits are mobilizing their cadre to make the human chain a grand success. The theme of the human chain is "Should we continue suffering this discrimination and neglect against Kerala." A big duel is on between the Center and Kerala Government over the "denial of the dues to the State by the Union Government".
But Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had bearded the lion in his own den during her last visit to Kerala. She quoted from official data which stated that Kerala has received from the Center more than what was due to it. "The easy way out for the CPI(M) is to put the entire blame on the Center and that is what the chief minister and other ministers are doing.
The present situation in Kerala which calls for a state of financial emergency is due to wanton and reckless financial management by the State administration. Ill not blame the Center even if it has denied further funds to Kerala. The flood relief fund running into thousands of crores provided by the Center was diverted as per the whims and fancies of the State administration," said Prof Mary George, former head of the Department of Economics, University of Kerala. She pointed out that the State roads remain unattended to since the great floods of 2018.
The uniqueness of the 20 January human chain is that it passes along the newly constructed National Highway built exclusively by the Centre, said Krishna Raj senior lawyer, Kerala High Court. "Perhaps it is a reflection of the dialectic materialism about which the CPI(M) is proud of. But ordinary persons like me are yet to understand what does this dialectic materialism means," said Krishna Raj.