The Crossbill News Desk
CPI Kerala State Secretary Binoy Viswam has said that the ongoing debate over the PM-SHRI agreement with the Centre should not be viewed as a “CPI-CPM tussle,” stressing that the decision to form a cabinet sub-committee to review the agreement reflects the Left parties’ “conviction on ideology.”
Speaking to The Indian Express, Viswam said, “The credit for that conviction, that political clarity goes not only to CPI, but also equally to CPM.”
Days back, the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre to implement the PM-SHRI scheme in the State, despite previously opposing it. The move drew criticism from within the ruling coalition, with the CPI objecting that it had not been consulted and that the decision contradicted the Left’s stance against the National Education Policy (NEP).
PM-SHRI schools are intended to promote aspects of the NEP, and the MoU requires States to commit to full implementation of the policy. The Centre had withheld around Rs. 1,150 crore due to Kerala under the Samagra Shiksha programme after the State initially refused to sign the MoU. The signing was aimed at securing these pending funds.
Asked about the way forward, Viswam said the funds were not a favour from the Centre but a constitutional right of the States.
“The Center has to give its funds to the states… not only to Kerala, all states… for the implementation of Samagra Shiksha. All states have the right…it’s not the kindness of somebody, it’s our right. That right has to be accepted by the Centre. We believe that it is their duty to give us our share of the Samagra Shiksha funds,” he said.
Viswam declined to comment further on the CPI’s opposition to the PM-SHRI scheme, noting that a sub-committee had already been formed to review the matter. He had earlier described the decision to sign the MoU without consultation as a breach of “the decorum of coalition politics.”
Explaining his faith in the sub-committee, he said, “I look at the sub-committee with expectations, because the formation of a sub-committee gives a message. That message is very clear – a government led by the Left parties, CPI and CPM in Kerala, has a position to review the MoU. That shows the gravity of their understanding, and their conviction on ideology. And that conviction, that political clarity…that credit goes not only to CPI, it goes equally to CPM also.”
He emphasised that the issue should not be reduced to a contest between the two allies.
“I don’t want to make it a CPI-CPM tussle. I don’t want to make it a matter of discussion over success and failure. If somebody wants to gauge the issue only on the grounds of success, then for the CPI, I would say… success is of the LDF, of Left unity, of the success of Left ideology and Left politics. The credit can be shared equally by both parties, CPI and CPM. This is how we see it, because we are very firm on the cause of Left unity,” he told the paper.
The CPI has continued to oppose the NEP, calling it a vehicle for the BJP’s ideological agenda.
“The Left parties have always re-iterated that the NEP is a door for the BJP to smuggle its RSS agenda into the field of education. That is the conviction of the CPI and the CPM,” Viswam said.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Viswam said, “The credit for that conviction, that political clarity goes not only to CPI, but also equally to CPM.”
Days back, the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre to implement the PM-SHRI scheme in the State, despite previously opposing it. The move drew criticism from within the ruling coalition, with the CPI objecting that it had not been consulted and that the decision contradicted the Left’s stance against the National Education Policy (NEP).
PM-SHRI schools are intended to promote aspects of the NEP, and the MoU requires States to commit to full implementation of the policy. The Centre had withheld around Rs. 1,150 crore due to Kerala under the Samagra Shiksha programme after the State initially refused to sign the MoU. The signing was aimed at securing these pending funds.
Asked about the way forward, Viswam said the funds were not a favour from the Centre but a constitutional right of the States.
“The Center has to give its funds to the states… not only to Kerala, all states… for the implementation of Samagra Shiksha. All states have the right…it’s not the kindness of somebody, it’s our right. That right has to be accepted by the Centre. We believe that it is their duty to give us our share of the Samagra Shiksha funds,” he said.
Viswam declined to comment further on the CPI’s opposition to the PM-SHRI scheme, noting that a sub-committee had already been formed to review the matter. He had earlier described the decision to sign the MoU without consultation as a breach of “the decorum of coalition politics.”
Explaining his faith in the sub-committee, he said, “I look at the sub-committee with expectations, because the formation of a sub-committee gives a message. That message is very clear – a government led by the Left parties, CPI and CPM in Kerala, has a position to review the MoU. That shows the gravity of their understanding, and their conviction on ideology. And that conviction, that political clarity…that credit goes not only to CPI, it goes equally to CPM also.”
He emphasised that the issue should not be reduced to a contest between the two allies.
“I don’t want to make it a CPI-CPM tussle. I don’t want to make it a matter of discussion over success and failure. If somebody wants to gauge the issue only on the grounds of success, then for the CPI, I would say… success is of the LDF, of Left unity, of the success of Left ideology and Left politics. The credit can be shared equally by both parties, CPI and CPM. This is how we see it, because we are very firm on the cause of Left unity,” he told the paper.
The CPI has continued to oppose the NEP, calling it a vehicle for the BJP’s ideological agenda.
“The Left parties have always re-iterated that the NEP is a door for the BJP to smuggle its RSS agenda into the field of education. That is the conviction of the CPI and the CPM,” Viswam said.
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