In his inaugural speech, Pinarayi Vijayan said the protest was to safeguard federalism as enshrined in the Constitution and that Indian democracy, envisaged as a Union of states, was slowly and steadily being degraded to an undemocratic ‘Union over states’. “We are seeing its manifestations around the country, especially in opposition-ruled states. We have all come together to register our strong protest against this and to preserve the federal structure of India,” Vijayan said.
The UDF as well Congress’ central leaders, despite being invited to the protests, studiously kept way, indicating fundamental disunity in the anti-Modi coalition. However, several leaders of the INDIA bloc, notably Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Jammu Kashmir former chief minister Farooq Abdullah were among those who attended the Jantar Mantar protest and speaking vehemently against the Centre and its discriminatory policies. “The govts led by opposition parties represent 70 crore people in the country. The BJP has waged a war against opposition-ruled states. They have created an India-Pakistan situation with us. The Centre is using all the tactics to harass the opposition govts,” Kejriwal said, addressing the gathering.
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury rebutted the prime minister’s charge that the opposition was fuelling a north-south divide. “The prime minister said the opposition is trying to create a north-south divide. The prime minister needs to understand India’s geography. Mr Kejriwal is not south, Mr Mann is not south, Mr Farooq Abdullah from Kashmir is not south. Perhaps he does not know about the geography of India. This is not a north-south fight, it is for the rights given by the Constitution,” Yechury said. “It is the Constitution of India that says that India is a Union of states. Without states, there is no Union. According to Prime Minister Modi, you are going to have only a Union and no states now.” CPI leaders D Raja and Binoy Viswom also participated in the protest.
In his 40-minute speech, Vijayan said laws have been made by the Union govt in agriculture, education, power, cooperative and other sectors, crippling the states’ rights. Even a ministry for co-operatives has been formed. Multinational agreements are being entered into, on issues that affect the states, without seeking the states’ opinion, let alone getting their consent, he pointed out. “However, the body blow to India’s federal structure is the Union eating into the states’ financial resources. It is being alleged that the same people who wax eloquent about cooperative federalism, have tried to undercut the resources to be allocated to the states by the Finance Commission. On top of that, we are seeing the Union govt’s allocation for their own schemes coming down year after year, while the states are being forced to chip in more and more,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said the Centre has denied Rs 5,500 cr due to Punjab. Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin, in a video message supporting the protest, said the Centre was not allowing states their legitimate rights. “Prime minister Narendra Modi is regarding states as municipalities. He doesn’t seem to like states or chief ministers, though he had been chief minister of Gujarat before becoming prime minister,” Stalin said. DMK leader and Tamil Nadu minister Palanivel Thyagarajan represented his party at the protest programme.
‘Feb 8 will be a red letter day’
Vijayan said while states were forced to shoulder 65% of the expenses, the Centre pocketed about 65% of the tax revenue. “When GST was introduced, there were some calculations by the ministry of finance which envisaged that in order to be revenue neutral, the average GST rate must be at least 17%. Until we achieve that specific benchmark, the Union govt is obliged to continue GST compensation. The current average rate is only 11.4%. States had to give up considerable financial rights so that GST could be introduced. Now, we should stand together to ensure that what is rightfully ours isn’t denied,” Vijayan said.
He said that February 8, 2024 will be a “red letter day” in the history of the Republic of India. “I hope that today’s gathering will go a long way in reaffirming our resolve to strengthen our states and, thereby, our country. Let us hope that more states and opposition parties will join hands in this democratic struggle,” he said.
Pinarayi slams governor: Re garding governors who meddle politically, Vijayan said that, constitutionally, governors are supposed to exercise their duties on the advice of the state cabinet. “However, we are seeing this phenomenon of governors in opposition-ruled states acting at the behest of the powers that appointed them, ie, the Union govt…In many states, including Kerala, we have seen governors trying to overreach their Constitutional mandate by meddling with the autonomy of the legislature,” he said. Referring to governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s recent ‘sit-in protest’ in Kollam, Vijayan said, “Whenever he comes to Kerala, he does not have time to read out the entire governor’s address in the assembly. But he has time to sit on the road and create a scene.”
CM takes a dig at UDF: In an apparent reference to the Congress-led UDF opposition in Kerala, which has alleged that the protest is being held with an eye on the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Vijayan said that the agitation is not politically motivated. “This protest is against the denial of what is rightfully ours.”