THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM leadership has come out against senior Congress leader K C Venugopal for his remarks on social welfare pensions. Venugopal’s statement terming the welfare pensions an election bribe is a challenge towards the common people, said the CPM secretariat in a statement.
The CPM urged the Congress leader to withdraw his statement and apologise to the people.
In the last nine years, the LDF government has kept aside `72,000 crore for welfare pension distribution alone. In spite of the Union government’s denial of Central grants, the state government has been trying to give pension without delay.
“The state hasn’t forgotten the remarks made by certain Congress leaders when the pensions were delayed. When the Centre has been trying to punish the state by denying Central grants and bringing KIIFB under the state’s borrowing limit, the Congress has remained silent. Despite these restrictions, the LDF government has been trying to give pensions every month,” said the CPM in a statement.
The CPM alleged that the UDF failed to properly distribute welfare pensions during 2011-16 period. The UDF government had spent around Rs 9,311 crore on pensions for 34.43 lakh people. However, the LDF government disbursed Rs 72,000 crore to 62 lakh beneficiaries. During this government’s tenure alone, the Left government spent Rs 40,000 crore on pensions.
“Naturally the timely delivery of pensions and other development activities will be reflected in the bypoll. Venugopal’s statement shows that the UDF is worried. Terming the welfare pensions as election bribe cannot be accepted. The people will give a befitting reply to such remarks,” said CPM.