THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the conciliatory efforts of the CPM which deputed General Education Minister V Sivankutty to placate the CPI state leadership following its opposition towards the state signing PM SHRI project, the latter refused to yield to the former’s diplomacy.
The CPI state leadership is learnt to have told the minister that since breaches in left policy and lapses in collective responsibility occurred at the cabinet level, it must be dealt with at the leadership level.
Efforts to resolve the ongoing tussle between the two coalition partners are expected to begin on Sunday, after the chief minister returns from abroad. The CM is scheduled to reach the state on October 26. The crucial CPI state executive meeting to take a final decision on the issue will be held in Alappuzha on October 27.
The crisis deepened on Saturday, a day after CPI accused CPM of breaching coalition principles, by signing the PM SHRI project with the central government. Minister Sivankutty approached his colleague and CPI leader G R Anil and visited CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam to explain the circumstances. The minister reportedly admitted to lapses in not informing CPI ministers before signing the project.
However, he explained that the decision was taken to ensure funds, rightfully due to the state, are released without delay. He also told the leadership that the National Educational Project, part of the said project, would not be implemented in the state. “The state syllabi for this year and next year have already been fixed. Around 13 crore textbooks have been printed. Hence, the issue of implementing the NEP is out of question,” he reportedly said.
Binoy Viswam, however, contested the minister’s explanation, pointing out that the Central government had prescribed NEP- related clauses as part of the project. He also noted that in some states where NEP had been implemented, textbooks were altered to modify historic facts. “This is a national project of RSS. Is there any assurance in the MoU that the NEP will be excluded? If so, CPI will welcome it,” Binoy reportedly told the minister.
Meanwhile, in another effort to break the deadlock, CPI general secretary D Raja met CPM general secretary M A Baby in Delhi on Saturday. The CPI leadership expressed serious differences with the CPM state leadership, accusing it of deviating from declared left policies and demanded corrective action. “Everyone knows that NEP is part of the BJP- RSS agenda,” Raja told TNIE.
“It is aimed at communalising the education sector. Baby agreed to this. Tamil Nadu has decided not to implement the project. Why can’t Kerala follow the same path?” he asked. After the discussion, Baby said the issue would be taken up at the state leadership level.
