Kerala-Centre face-off sharpens as Shah rejects ‘economic blockade’ charge

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 11: Kerala is set for a politically charged moment on Monday as the Left government prepares to launch a protest against what it calls the Centre’s “economic blockade”, even as Union Home Minister Amit Shah rejected the charge and said the BJP-led government has given the state record financial support.
Ahead of the satyagraha led by him at the Palayam Martyrs’ Memorial here, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday accused the Centre of trying to “choke” Kerala’s development.
But Shah, who was in the state capital on Sunday, refuted the claim, saying the facts told a very different story.
Addressing a conclave organised by Kerala Kaumudi, a leading Malayalam daily, Shah said Kerala deserved to know the truth about Central assistance.
He compared funds given during the UPA and NDA periods and said the BJP government had been far more generous.
He added, “This was given despite the fact that we do not have a government here. Even then, Pinarayi Vijayan is claiming injustice.”
Turning the charge back on the Congress-led alliance, Shah said, “Injustice to Kerala occurred during the UPA period, when the Centre functioned with the support of the Left, and not during the NDA government’s tenure.”
Listing more figures, he said the Centre had provided Rs 22,000 crore for infrastructure development, Rs 4,000 crore for road projects, Rs 15,000 crore for railways and Rs 3,000 crore for airport development.
He then issued a direct challenge to the Chief Minister: “I want to leave here telling Vijayan that if there is any defect in these figures, please correct me tomorrow. Otherwise, accept that injustice to Kerala did not come from our side, but from the UPA government.”
Criticising Vijayan for making accusations, Shah said, “After making allegations, you cannot run away. I came with specific answers to your questions.”
In a Facebook post, Chief Minister Vijayan accused the Centre of deliberately blocking Kerala’s progress.
“The LDF government is moving forward with committed interventions aimed at ensuring a dignified life for all, based on public welfare, infrastructure development, and the strengthening of public sector industries and services,” Vijayan said. However, he added, “The Centre’s financial blockade, imposed to choke both the state and its government by obstructing this development momentum, has already triggered widespread public anger.” The CM said that despite the pressure, Kerala was refusing to give up. (PTI)