Kerala govt gave 40 pc higher subsidy on paddy than the Centre, says CPI (M)

Kochi (Kerala)[India], December 5 (ANI): The CPI (M) is supporting the farmers' protests in Delhi and the Kerala government has given a 40 per cent higher subsidy on paddy than the Centre, said Kerala CPI (M) secretary A Vijayaraghavan on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference in Kochi, the CPI (M) leader said, "The farmers are agitating against the stand of the Centre which is protecting corporate interests. But the subsidy given by the Kerala govt to paddy farmers is 40 per cent higher than what was announced by the Centre. The UDF in Kerala is supporting the anti-farmer stand of the Centre," he told reporters.
Accusing the Centre of trying to undermine the progress of the state, he added, "The Centre is trying to undermine the progress of Kerala. The central agencies are being used as part of a conspiracy to undermine the Kerala model. It is supported by the UDF."
"The investigative agencies have been largely abused for political purposes. We have seen that probe agencies have generally become the political pawns of the Centre. If the law is being abused for political purposes, it will be criticised," the CPI (M) leader said.
Alleging that the Congress was playing opportunistic politics, Vijayaraghavan said, "The UDF has formed an alliance with the fundamentalist Welfare Party in the local body election. The Welfare Party-UDF alliance is in power in 30 village panchayats and seven municipalities in the Malappuram district. The UDF gave two seats in Kozhikode Corporation to the Welfare Party. A seat was given in Kozhikode District Panchayat. This political alliance has been formed in several panchayats in Kerala. This is an opportunistic position that destroys the Congress itself."
In the Hyderabad elections, he said that while Congress could not do much, the BJP and the AIMIM did well.
"In the Hyderabad elections, the Congress won just two seats. It is the communal forces that have made good progress. The Hindu communalist BJP has made strides. The Owaisi party, which has a Muslim communal character, has made progress," he added. (ANI)