Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary MT Ramesh claimed that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s decision to withdraw from the PM SHRI scheme was not due to pressure from the Communist Party of India (CPI) but due to fear of religious extremist organisations.
Addressing the media here on Thursday, he said Education Minister V. Sivankutty had earlier defended the plan to the media and the sudden change in stance had raised questions. “It is said that the decision was taken under the pressure of the CPI. But this is far from true. Even on matters of greater importance and differences, the government has never yielded to the CPI,” Mr. Ramesh said.
According to him, some Muslim organizations including Samastha and Jamaat-e-Islami have publicly opposed the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme. “The government has changed its stance to please these religious outfits,” he added.
“The government should stop this hide-and-seek. Whom are they afraid of? This is a direct challenge to the people of Kerala. The Left government is bowing down to communal forces,” Mr. Ramesh said.
He also criticized the formation of a new sub-committee to review PM SHRI’s decision. “What new fact is the subcommittee going to uncover that the education minister hasn’t already seen? To say that others in the cabinet didn’t know about the MoU after it was signed shows a total lack of collective responsibility,” he said.
Published – 30 Oct 2025 20:46 IST
