Kerala: CPI-CPM strike discordant tunes on PM SHRI scheme; Education minister says, "won't take responsibility if funds not received"

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], November 13 (ANI): Kerala General Education and Labour Minister V Sivankutty on Thursday refused to take responsibility if the centre fails to transfer Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) funds worth Rs 1,157 crore, given the decision to freeze the implementation of the PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) scheme.

This comes after strong opposition by the Communist Party of India (CPI), which remains the second-largest party in the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala. CPI leader and party's Kerala state secretary Binoy Viswam had earlier stated that halting all PM SHRI proceedings was a “political decision” taken by the Left Front. 

Reacting to this, Sivankutty said that the letter sent by the Kerala government to the centre about freezing the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme was not about “anyone’s victory or defeat”. Instead, he added, the goal remains to secure SSK funds, which is the state's right. 

"I saw CPI State Secretary Binoy Viswam’s statement claiming that the Kerala government’s letter to the centre to freeze the PM SHRI scheme is a political victory for the LDF. But the letter is not about anyone’s victory or defeat. I do not believe that someone’s intervention in the matter signifies one group’s failure and another’s success. The letter Jawaharlal Nehru sent to his daughter Indira is one that the whole world discussed. Some now consider this letter the most important one after that,” the General Education Minister said. 

Apprising about his meeting with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Sivankutty said that the discussions held with him were not only about the PM SHRI scheme, but also about SSK and other related funds.

“The CPI(M) knows left politics very well. The SSK fund is Kerala’s right, not anyone’s generosity. I had a 45-minute discussion with the Union Education Minister. The goal is to secure central funds. I discussed with the minister the next steps related to the PM SHRI scheme and sent the letter yesterday,” he added.

Sivankutty asserted that the RSS agenda will not be implemented, but also took a slight dig at his alliance partner, CPI, saying that he doesn’t intend to measure the sacrifices made over this issue. He added that “some people” were trying to portray that they were the only ones responsible for resisting the RSS. 

“The RSS agenda will not be implemented in Kerala’s education sector. I do not intend to measure who protested, who intervened, or who made sacrifices. Let the people decide. The discussion with the Union Minister was not only about the PM SHRI fund, but also about the SSK fund and other related funds,” he said. 

He also flagged uncertainty over the centre releasing SSK funds, given the letter sent to the centre regarding the freezing of the PM SHRI scheme's implementation. 

“Now that the letter has been sent, there is some uncertainty about whether the remaining funds will be released. If the SSK fund of Rs 1,157 crore is not received, I will not take responsibility. Those who must, should take it. Some people are trying to portray as if only they are responsible for resisting the RSS,” Sivankutty said. 

CPI MP Binoy Viswam however questioned Sivanakutty saying he didnt know why the Minister was batting for the scheme.

"Don't fall into the trap of the BJP governments. They have tried to interlink the PM SHRI and the Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) funds. SSK and PM SHRI are not the same. SSK fund is our right. The central government has to give it. If they deny it, the state has a right to fight for it. And that fight should be a political and a legal fight. In that way, the LDF government has to go forward. I don't know why Sivankutty, a top leader of the CPI-M, is arguing so vehemently in favour of the PM SHRI project, which is a BJP-RSS project. And the purpose is to smuggle in the NEP and RSS agenda into the field of education," Viswam told ANI.

After the CPI's opposition, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had announced that a seven-member cabinet sub-committee, chaired by Sivankutty, will be constituted to review the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme in the state. But it appears this issue has caused the souring of relations between the LDF's two principle partners. (ANI)