Kerala CM, Left front leaders hold protest in Delhi against Centre's alleged neglect of state

Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi: The ruling LDF, led by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi VIjayan, on Thursday held a protest in the national capital against the alleged neglect by the Centre towards the southern state in financial matters.

The chief minister, LDF MPs, MLAs and senior Left front leaders, including CPI general secretary D Raja and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, marched to the Jantar Mantar from the Kerala House in the heart of New Delhi, braving the cold winter morning.

The Left front leaders, bundled in warm clothing to ward of the cold Delhi winter, marched holding a banner and placards against the Centre's alleged neglect and economic policies which have pushed Kerala into financial distress.

Vijayan, speaking on the occasion, said that February 8, 2024, will be a "red letter day" in the history of the republic of India.

A democracy that was envisaged as a 'Union of States' is slowly and steadily being crippled into an undemocratic 'Union over States'. "We are seeing its manifestations around the country, especially in opposition ruled states," he said.

"We have all come together to register our strong protest against this and to preserve the federal structure of India.

"Today we are marking the beginning of a renewed fight that would herald a dawn of ensuring equitable treatment of the States. This fight would also strive to maintain a balance in the Centre - State relations," he said.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, Tamil Nadu's Minister of Information Technology and Digital Services Palanivel Thiagarajan and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also joined the protest at Jantar Mantar.

The LDF protest has the support of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.

Vijayan, a day ago, had said that the Centre's discrimination against Kerala and the resultant financial crunch had forced the state to resort to the protest path.

He had also alleged that the Union government's actions had weakened cooperative federalism in the country.