PM SHRI Protest Turns Tense in Kerala as Police Deploy Water Cannons
A peaceful protest by student and youth wings against the PM SHRI scheme escalated near the Kerala Assembly on Monday. Police used water cannons to disperse the crowd, prompting strong criticism from CPI leader K Rajan, as the political standoff continues.
Highlights
- •Police deployed water cannons against AISF and AIYF activists protesting near the Kerala Assembly.
- •The protest centers on demands for the state government to withdraw from the PM SHRI scheme.
- •The dispute involves an MoU signed by the previous LDF government, which the current administration is struggling to annul.
- •CPI leader K Rajan condemned the police action, stating the sit-in was peaceful when the cannons were used.
A planned demonstration in Thiruvananthapuram escalated into a tense confrontation on Monday as authorities deployed water cannons against protestors. Members of the All India Students' Federation (AISF) and the All India Youth Federation (AIYF) had gathered near the Kerala Assembly to express their strong opposition to the PM SHRI (Prime Minister Schools for Rising India) scheme. The situation became volatile as activists pushed toward the legislative complex, forcing police to intervene after establishing barricades to contain the crowd.
Protest Over PM SHRI Scheme Leads to Police Intervention
The participants involved in the rally are demanding that the state government formally withdraw from the national school development initiative. The core of the issue lies in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed by the previous LDF administration with the union government. Although the agreement was initially put on hold following public backlash from the CPI and various opposition groups, the ongoing agitation highlights deep-seated tensions regarding the implementation of central schemes in the state.
The UDF, currently in the opposition, has maintained a complex stance on the PM SHRI matter. While they previously campaigned against the CPI(M) on this subject, they argue that rescinding the agreement now is difficult given that the previous administration had already secured and utilized financial grants linked to the program. This political impasse has fueled the determination of the AISF and AIYF to continue their demonstrations until their demands for withdrawal are met.
Confrontation During Legislative Session
The demonstration coincided with an ongoing session of the Kerala Assembly, which was focused on state budget discussions. As the activists remained at the site, shouting slogans and refusing to clear the area, CPI leader and former minister K Rajan arrived at the venue to address the gathering. It was during this address that police activated water cannons on two separate occasions.
K Rajan expressed profound dissatisfaction with the police response, characterizing the treatment of the demonstrators as excessive. He noted that he was in the process of urging the activists to disperse peacefully when the police action occurred, disregarding his position as a CPI leader within the Assembly. The incident has intensified the political climate, with party leadership vowing to persist with their agitation against the current government regarding the PM SHRI agreement. The use of water cannons has drawn sharp condemnation from party members, who insist that the sit-in demonstration remained non-violent throughout the event.
