Centre financially strangulating state, accuses Kerala Assembly

Thiruvananthapuram: Accusing the Union government of destroying the federal structure of India, the Kerala State Assembly passed a resolution on Friday. The unanimous resolution accused the Centre of financially strangulating the state, PTI reported.

The resolution introduced by the Finance Minister KN Baklagopal was announced unanimously passed by the Speaker An Shamseer. However, the Opposition was not present in the assembly.

Balagopal said the Centre has reduced Kerala's borrowing limit and slashed the revenue deficit grant.

He also attacked the Congress-led UDF, which boycotted the assembly proceedings instead of staying back for the resolution.

"All these actions of the central government amount to destroying the federal structure of the country. Like the Union government has full authority over the Union List, the Constitution provides the States absolute authority over the State List," Balagopal said.

He pointed out that the Centre had rejected the Finance Commission's recommendations and reduced Kerala's borrowing limit.

The resolution said that the states fund the majority of the expenses including on social welfare projects, but a huge chunk of revenue goes to the Centre.

Criticising the UDF, Balagopal said the opposition "created a drama" so that they don't have to be a part of the resolution and in a way that "they don't have to upset those in Delhi".

"Are we not aware of the central government and its agencies? We saw what happened in Bihar. The CM resigned and he took oath as the CM in the same evening after joining the BJP. We saw what happened in Jharkhand," Balagopal said, referring to Nitish Kumar's shifting alliances and Hemant Soren's arrest by the ED, respectively.

He said by not remaining in the house for the resolution against the central government, the Congress-led UDF were cheating the state instead of politically, economically and culturally upholding its interests.

"Now, the BJP, they will do anything, that is their politics. To support them, to extend all help to such agencies, aren't these things done by people who are priming themselves to join the BJP?," Balagopal asked.

He alleged that there are people in the assembly who file cases on behalf of the BJP.