The political resistance of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government against the Centre’s alleged infringement on federal rights and the strategy it worked out to stave off the Sangh Parivar bid to raise a banner of revolt on the Sabarimala issue had its refrain in the Governor’s address to the Assembly on Friday.
The Governor sought a total restructuring of Central-State relations that would enrich both the Centre and the State governments. (The State had been batting for a strong Centre and equally strong State governments.) He accused the Centre of penalising the State for its gains in the health, education and social sectors and depriving of its due financial assistance.
Referring to the Terms of Reference of the 15th Union Finance Commission, the Governor said the decision to use the 2011 census data for population criteria should be withdrawn and and specific heft should be placed on the criterion of demographic goals achievement.
The share for States from the Centre’s divisible pool should raised from 42% to 50%. Curbs on public borrowing should go and revenue deficit grant should not be scrapped, he said.
The Governor reaffirmed the government commitment to implement the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala and said that the women’s wall formed across the State on January 1 was a symbol of the united will of Kerala women in their struggle for gender justice. He expressed the government resolve to pursue the renaissance values in the face of the incidents that took place following the government decision to implement the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala.
The address expressed the government’s hope on the Centre raising the borrowing limit for mopping up resources for rebuilding the flood-ravaged State. He expressed the hope in the face of the tall challenges the government faced for rebuilding infrastructure facilities and houses for the victims.
