Senior leaders of the Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front on Wednesday strongly reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s refusal to give an appointment to the all-party delegation to brief him about the major crisis the cooperative sector was facing following the demonetisation of high-value currency and the restrictions imposed on the sector’s financial transactions
The ruling coalition has also announced that it would observe Thursday as a “Black Day”
Former Chief Minister and veteran leader V.S. Achuthanandan said that the Prime Minister’s action was tantamount to an open declaration that he and the BJP were enemies of Kerala. Mr. Modi has donned the role of a hardcore RSS activist to work against the interest of the State. He had refused to face Parliament or explain the facts to the people. By ignoring Kerala, Mr. Modi was also undermining the federal structure of the nation.
An insult
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said Mr. Modi had insulted the people of Kerala because the all-party delegation proposed to highlight a major issue that affected a huge majority of the people. His action was against the very grain of the federal structure of the county.
On all previous occasions, Prime Ministers have been only too willing to meet high-profile State delegations. Mr. Modi’s suggestion to meet his Finance Minister Arun Jaitley amounted to an affront to the sentiments of the people of Kerala, reflected in the Assembly resolution. Kerala was severely affected because the cooperative movement had deep roots in the State, he said.
LDF convener Vaikkom Viswan said the refusal to meet the delegation amounted to disregarding democratic propriety and a display of its imposing authority. The Front would also organise 24-hour agitation on Thursday as planned earlier in the three tier local bodies. In the evening, black flag demonstrations would be held in important areas.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the Prime Minister’s action amounted to violation of the federal structure of the country and an affront to the people of the State. Kerala’s cooperative sector was facing an unprecedented crisis which cannot be compared with other States that do not have a strong cooperative movement. The Prime Minister’s decision was influenced by BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan and other BJP leaders, he alleged.
CPI leader Kanam Rajendran termed Mr. Modi’s refusal to meet the delegation as arrogance. He urged partymen to wholeheartedly support the agitation.
Kerala Congress (M) leader K.M. Mani said the Prime Minister had insulted the people of Kerala. The action will shake the foundations of our Federal system. He felt that the Prime Minister had adopted an authoritarian approach.
