The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Sudhakaran, MP, has accused the State government of indulging in mindless extravaganza such as Keraleeyam even when it is neck-deep in debt. He said that the government was seeking refuge in such spectacles to hide its administrative inefficiencies and failures.
This was for the first time in the history of the State that Kerala Piravi was being celebrated by spending ₹27 crore. The government was freely spending money from the exchequer at a time when there was strong anti-incumbency factor in play and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] was facing the threat of being decimated in the Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Sudhakaran said.
The organising committee of Keraleeyam and the Nava Kerala sadass was fully led by the CPI(M). Seminars, light works, publicity, food fairs were all being organised on the sidelines of Keraleeyam. The government’s attempts to do a makeover would definitely result in public money reaching CPI(M) hands, Mr. Sudhakaran said.
Fate of welfare schemes
He said that there had been no government in the State’s history which had failed as miserably as the present one. All welfare schemes such as the special security pensions and mid-day meals were in dire straits, while the government’s blatant nepotism had failed thousands of young jobseekers. Many public sector institutions were on the verge of being shut down and sports persons in the State were leaving the State in droves in search of better opportunities. The capital city almost went under water in a day’s rain, Mr. Sudhakaran said.
The Chief Minister and the Ministers should explain how Keraleeyam, which was purely a CPI(M)-led family welfare event, was going to benefit the common man, he said.