PM SHRI row: Sivankutty flays Binoy Viswam’s remark, calls it unnecessary

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Thursday criticised CPI State Secretary Binoy Viswam over his remarks on the state government’s withdrawal from the PM SHRI project, calling it  unnecessary and divisive within the Left Front.

Binoy Viswam had earlier described the government’s decision to withdraw from the Centre’s PM SHRI scheme as “a victory for LDF politics”, adding that the CPI “understands what Left politics truly stands for and what is at its core."

Responding to the statement, Sivankutty said the issue was neither a matter of victory nor defeat for any individual or party within the alliance. “This is not about anyone’s success or failure. The Left Front has a collective policy, and it has been decided that such matters should be resolved through consultation,” he said.

He further remarked that “the CPM does not need lessons from any centre on how to implement Left politics,” adding that Viswam’s comments appeared to target specific individuals within the front.

"I have seen CPI State Secretary Binoy Vishwam's statement that the government's letter to the Centre informing of its withdrawal from PM SHRI is a victory for LDF politics. This is not a matter of anyone's success or failure. I do not believe that one group is successful and the others are unsuccessful based on someone's intervention. The Left Front has a policy. It has only been decided that it should be resolved through consultation. Binoy Vishwam's statement in 'Janayugam' clearly shows at whom the finger is being pointed at. None of us is stupid. There is no need for the CPM to learn from any centre how to implement Left politics," said Sivankutty.

In response, Viswam maintained that political awareness is the strength of the LDF and asserted that the CPI possesses that awareness. “I am not the one to teach Sivankutty about PM SHRI. Leaders like MA Baby and Govindan Master are far more qualified to explain what Left politics means in this context. Let them teach,” he said.