Kerala CM to protest in Delhi for ‘survival of the states’

“The aim of this struggle is not to triumph over anyone, but to secure what we rightfully deserve instead of surrendering. We believe that the entire country will stand with Kerala in support of this protest,” he said.

The Left parties have invited the friendly parties, including AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, but the main Opposition Congress is not participating in the protest.

Vijayan, however, clarified that the coming together of the non-BJP parties or the so-called “southern alliance” should not be seen as a divide between the North and the South.

“It’s about the states getting their rights and what is due for them. Those who are concerned about the country’s future do not want this situation to continue. It’s an issue concerning the entire country. This is an issue concerning states, including Punjab and Delhi.”

With the Opposition INDIA bloc crumbling, Vijayan said the fight against the BJP should be “state-wise”, adding that no party could claim the ownership of the Opposition alliance.

“No one can impose their decisions on others. If every party gets its space, I think a strong Opposition front can be built against the BJP,” he said in an apparent reference to the Congress stand in the INDIA bloc.

Vijayan said the protest is to protect the federal structure of the country. “Cooperative federalism is our nation’s expressed ideal, yet recent measures by the Union Government have cast a shadow on this principle. The BJP governs independently or in coalition with other parties in 17 states. The Central Government appears to solely favour these 17 states, while neglecting those not aligned with the NDA,” he said.

Alleging that the Centre has adopted an unconstitutional approach to fiscal discipline, Vijayan said: “The fact remains that the central government has no constitutional authority to determine the borrowing limits of the states. These measures, deemed unconstitutional and contrary to the recommendations of the Finance Commission, have been implemented through the exercise of powers lacking legal standing.”

Vijayan also took a swipe at Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, with whom the state government has been at loggerheads over various issues, including appointments at universities.

“We are seeing how governors should not function. They are acting like residents, side-lining state legislatures. The Governor, who has turned Kerala into a stage for his theatrics, withholds the bills approved by the Assembly and misuses his Chancellorship to disrupt the functioning of universities. These actions pose a direct challenge to constitutional values. Such actions are necessitating legal actions and people’s protests to safeguard federalism and democracy. Indian constitutional values have never before encountered such serious challenges except during the emergency,” he said.

Amid criticism that the planned protest against the Centre’s “negligence” of Kerala is a political drama, state finance minister K N Balagopal, who was also present at the briefing, refuted the allegation and said that many other states are also raising the issue.