NEW DELHI: In a show of strength, several Opposition INDIA bloc constituents on Thursday rallied around the Left Democratic Front government of Kerala as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan led a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the Centre. He was joined by Aam Aadmi Party’s two chief ministers — Arvind Kejriwal of Delhi and Bhagwant Mann of Punjab. Leaders from the DMK and the National Conference were also present at the protest but Congress went unrepresented.
Kerala CM alleged that democracy envisaged as a Union of States is being “crippled” by its “undemocratic Union over states mentality”.
The Congress-led UDF Opposition in Kerala which was invited to join the protest had declined it saying it does not agree with the Left narrative blaming the Centre for all of the state’s financial problems.
In a scathing attack on the Centre, Vijayan criticised the “Union over states mentality” of the Centre, saying it is not only manifested in financial matters, but was evident in the functioning of governors in Opposition-ruled states as well.
“We have all come together to register our strong protest against this and to preserve the federal structure of India. Today, we are marking the beginning of a renewed fight that would herald a dawn of ensuring equitable treatment of the states,” he said.
He alleged that in Opposition-ruled states, governors are acting at the “behest” of the Centre and disrupting the state government’s work, with a ‘Union over states’ mentality.
“We have seen gubernatorial excesses in Punjab, West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and so on. In many states, including Kerala, we have seen governors trying to over reach their constitutional mandate by meddling with the autonomy of the legislature,” he charged.
The Opposition leaders also challenged the BJP’s charge of promoting a “north-south divide. “ They said the demonstration is being held to ensure states get their due share and not about creating any divide. They pointed to the presence of chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann and the National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah.
Rubbishing allegations of the protest being politically motivated, Vijayan said the agitation is not politically motivated. “This protest is against the denial of what is rightfully ours. Isn’t it a fact that our borrowings have been limited and that our grants have been denied? How is it politically motivated to point it out?” he asked.
Addressing the gathering, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “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...”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also extended his support, and DMK leaders Tiruchi Siva and Palanivel Thiagarajan were present at the protest, as also former Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal, Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja and other Left leaders.
Kejriwal accused the Centre of waging a war against state governments led by Opposition parties.”The governments led by Opposition parties represent 70 crore people in the country. The BJP has waged a war against the Opposition-ruled states. They have created an India-Pakistan situation with us. The Centre is using all the tactics to harass the Opposition governments,” he alleged.
Mann also accused the Centre of using governors in Opposition-ruled states to hinder the governments’ work.
“The (Punjab) governor said the assembly session was illegal, so we had to go to the Supreme Court... Wherever the BJP is not present, the governors act as the Opposition... Those elected will rule in a democracy,” he said.
Stalin, in a message supporting the protest, said the Centre was not giving the rights due for states and regarded them as municipalities.
“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 in his video message.
Sibal claimed the BJP has amassed huge amounts of wealth through electoral bonds, which he alleged was being used in toppling Opposition governments.
“The BJP has collected around Rs 5,000 crore through electoral bonds... This fund is used when they have to topple Opposition governments,” Sibal alleged.
Kerala CM-led protest came a day after a similar protest at the same venue by Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah against the Centre alleging “injustice” meted out to the state in devolution of taxes.