Pinarayi Vijayan, the Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, accused the UDF government of reversing its position on the PM SHRI scheme.
This shift in policy represents a significant political escalation in Kerala, as it pits the opposition against the current administration over the influence of the central government in state education.
Speaking in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, Vijayan said the government's change in stance was a "U-turn" [2]. He said the move was a "grave betrayal" [3] of the public and the political principles the UDF previously maintained.
Vijayan alleged that the BJP-led Centre is utilizing the PM SHRI scheme as a mechanism to push its specific agenda. He said the scheme is a "bid to impose Sangh Parivar ideology" [1] within the school system.
The opposition leader suggested that the UDF government did not change its position based on educational merit. Vijayan said the shift was the result of a deal struck with the central government [1, 2].
This accusation follows a period of tension between the state and central authorities regarding the implementation of federal programs. Vijayan said the decision to embrace the scheme undermines the autonomy of the state's educational framework, a point of contention for those wary of centralizing control over curriculum and school management.
The UDF government has not yet issued a detailed formal response to the specific allegation that a deal was made with the Centre, though the move to adopt the scheme is now official.
“grave betrayal”
The conflict highlights the ongoing struggle between state-level governance and federal influence in India. By framing the PM SHRI scheme as an ideological tool rather than an educational investment, the opposition is attempting to mobilize voters around the concept of state autonomy and the protection of secular education from central government interference.
