Pinarayi Vijayan led the demonstration in Delhi.
New Delhi: Several constituents of the opposition ‘India’ alliance, which led the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, participated in the protest against the Center at Jantar Mantar in the national capital on Thursday, criticizing the democracy envisioned as a ‘union of states’. Accused the states of being ‘paralysed’ through ‘the mentality of supremacy of the Union’. Leaders of Aam Aadmi Party, DMK, National Conference participated in the LDF demonstration organized to ‘save federalism’, while no one was there from the Congress.
Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann, Farooq Abdullah participated
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) opposition in Kerala was invited to join the protest but declined, saying it agreed with the Left’s narrative of holding the Center responsible for all the state’s financial problems. Not there. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah participated in the protest. DMK leaders Tiruchi Siva and Palanivel Thiagarajan and former Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal also took part in the protest.
Kerala CM made allegations of discrimination
Leading the protest, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticized the Centre’s mentality of supremacy over the ‘Union over States’, saying it is not only in financial matters but also in the cases of Governors in states ruled by opposition parties. This is evident from the work also. “We have all come together to register our strong protest against this and maintain the federal structure of India,” he said. Today we are starting a fresh fight that will begin to ensure equitable treatment to the states. Vijayan said that another example of the mentality of the Center is that it is interfering in the powers of the states in many areas including law and order. Making laws that encroach upon matters that are entirely subject to the State List in the Constitution.
States’ rights are being snatched away – Vijayan
The Kerala Chief Minister said that multinational agreements are being made on issues affecting the states without obtaining their views. He said that all these examples show how the rights of the states are being taken away and how India is being transformed into an undemocratic federation dependent on the states. The Chief Minister said that by usurping the financial resources of these states, the Central Government is harming the federal structure of the country.
On the alleged discrimination by the governors, Vijayan said that constitutionally they have to discharge their duties on the advice of the state cabinet. He said, “However, we are seeing in the opposition party ruled states that the Governors are working at the behest of the Central Government.” The senior Marxist leader said, “We have seen in Punjab, West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana including Kerala. , Tamil Nadu has seen indiscriminate use of Governor’s powers.” (Input- Language)
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