Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi: In a display of dissent orchestrated by the ruling LDF, spearheaded by the erudite Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, a demonstration unfolded on Thursday within the precincts of the national capital. The pretext for this assembly was the perceived apathy exhibited by the Central administration towards the financial exigencies of the southern state. The chief minister, flanked by LDF MPs, MLAs, and venerable Left front dignitaries, including CPI general secretary D Raja and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, traversed the distance from the Kerala House to Jantar Mantar in the heart of New Delhi, braving the frigid embrace of the winter morning.
Cloaked in warm attire to shield themselves from the chilly Delhi winter, the Left front leaders traversed the route while brandishing a banner and placards, emblematic of their collective objection to the perceived negligence by the Centre and the economic doctrines that have plunged Kerala into financial straits. Addressing the assembly, Vijayan articulated that the date in question, February 8, 2024, would etch itself as a “red-letter day” in the annals of the Indian republic.
He expounded on the metamorphosis transpiring within the democratic construct originally conceived as a ‘Union of States,’ lamenting its gradual distortion into an undemocratic ‘Union over States.’ “The manifestations of this transformation are conspicuous nationwide, particularly in states governed by the opposition,” he contended. “Our convergence today is a resolute denunciation of this trend and a staunch commitment to safeguarding the federal structure of India.
“Today marks the commencement of a reinvigorated struggle poised to usher in an era of impartial treatment of the states. This endeavor also seeks to uphold equilibrium in the relationship between the Centre and the states,” he declared. Notable figures such as Jammu and Kashmir National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, Tamil Nadu’s Minister of Information Technology and Digital Services Palanivel Thiagarajan, and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal rallied in solidarity at Jantar Mantar.
The demonstration orchestrated by LDF garnered endorsement from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin. Vijayan, just a day prior, asserted that the discriminatory actions of the Centre against Kerala, coupled with the resultant financial quandary, compelled the state to embark on the path of protest. He further accused the Union government of undermining cooperative federalism within the country.