The Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) is getting ready to unleash a series of agitations against the government over what it sees as attempts to dismantle the Kudumbasree Mission.
The Opposition alliance has decided to form a ‘Kudumbasree Protection Forum’ drawing people from different political parties and activist groups. The first meeting of the forum will be held on Thursday. The forum will organise a sit-in by Kudumbasree workers in front of the Secretariat on October 2.
Briefing presspersons about the LDF State committee meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, front convener Vaikom Viswan said the Oommen Chandy government was making a sustained effort to dismantle the Kudumbasree Mission, and replace it with the Janashree Mission, floated by Congress leader M.M. Hassan. When incorporated, the Janashree Mission had seven shareholders with a combined share of Rs.20 lakh. Of this, Rs.19.94 lakh was in Mr. Hassan’s name. The aim clearly was to indulge in corruption.
The first move in this direction was made with the government sanctioning Rs.14.36 crore for the Janashree Mission for taking up activities relating to the farming sector under various Central schemes. This was done despite the Janashree Mission having no connection with any farming activity. The LDF would submit a letter to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy explaining these issues, and seeking urgent action on his part, Mr. Viswan said.
The LDF convener said the Opposition alliance would provide all support to campaigns to protect Kudumbasree. The effort would be to rally persons holding different shades of political opinion under the banner of the ‘Kudumbasree Protection Forum’ and force the government to back out from its attempts to demolish the Kudumbasree Mission, which had done much to alleviate poverty and empower women in the State, Mr. Viswan said.
