THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting the V D Satheesan government under further pressure, the IUML has conveyed its strong reservations to the chief minister over the move to implement the PM SHRI scheme and the budget proposal to levy a lower tax on low-alcohol beverages.
League sources said the party leadership expects the chief minister to address its concerns in his reply to the budget debate on Tuesday. “We will raise our concerns at the appropriate forum in the appropriate manner,” IUML general secretary PMA Salam told the TNIE.
While both issues had already drawn criticism within the Congress, the IUML leadership was initially reluctant to confront Satheesan directly. Several senior leaders described the party’s approach as one marked by a “lack of clarity”.
“It was easier dealing with him when he was the leader of the opposition,” an IUML leader said.
The IUML played a crucial role in Satheesan’s rise to the chief minister post. On the other hand, League leaders argue, his firm stand had helped the party secure the fisheries portfolio despite opposition from sections of the Congress.
Against this backdrop, the government’s decision to roll out the PM SHRI scheme, reportedly citing technical reasons, came as a shock to the IUML leadership. The UDF, particularly the League, had strongly opposed signing of MoU by the previous LDF government with the Centre.
“Our opposition was ideological rather than financial,” an IUML leader said. “We opposed the PM SHRI scheme because it facilitates the implementation of the National Education Policy, which we view as part of the saffronisation of the education system.”
The move also triggered criticism from the League’s youth and student wings, district leaderships and community organisations.
Party leaders said they were concerned by the growing unease within the community. “The leadership was in a dilemma because it could not openly criticise its own government within a month of its formation,” the leader added.
Concerns were further aggravated by the budget proposal to reduce taxes on low-alcohol beverages, which many in the party view as a departure from the UDF’s stated liquor policy. As criticism mounted, the League leadership formally conveyed its apprehensions to the chief minister.
Meanwhile, another budget proposal — allowing private participation in mineral sand mining — has emerged as a contentious issue. While the League has no principled objection to private participation, it is unhappy with attempts to link the controversy to the industries department, headed by IUML’s P K Kunhalikutty.
There is also concern within the UDF that Congress veteran V M Sudheeran’s demand for the proposal to be withdrawn could pave the way for a joint campaign with the CPM. In 2003, when the-then UDF government attempted to allow private mineral sand mining in the coastal areas of Alappuzha, Sudheeran and CPM leader M A Baby jointly spearheaded a major protest movement.
Adding to the discomfort, videos of Satheesan assuring protesters at Thottappally that mineral sand mining would be halted if the UDF came to power have resurfaced on social media.
Cannot withdraw from PM SHRI at this point: Muneer
Kozhikode: IUML leader M K Muneer has said that Kerala cannot simply withdraw from the PM SHRI scheme at this stage, alleging that the former government’s failures have led to the current predicament. Speaking in Kozhikode, Muneer blamed the Pinarayi government for signing the agreement without adequately safeguarding the state’s interests and autonomy.
According to Muneer, the state had sufficient opportunity to seek amendments to the scheme’s conditions before signing the agreement with the Centre. However, he alleged that the Left government failed to utilise that opportunity and instead compromised the state’s authority by accepting the terms without proper scrutiny. Muneer accused the Left government of adopting a contradictory stance on the PM SHRI scheme. He claimed that while the Left publicly opposed the scheme, it simultaneously extended support to it behind the scenes by signing the agreement
