Pinarayi Takes Modi Path, then Does a U-Turn

Pinarayi Vijayan and his Left Democratic Front Government in Kerala had consistently opposed the PMSHRI (Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India) scheme launched by the Central Government in 2022. They had called it a ‘danger to the nation’ and a ‘Trojan Horse’ to introduce the National Education Policy (NEP). They saw it as a measure to implement the Hindutva agenda, thereby saffronising the education system in the country.

In the last week of October, all objections and high-pitch sound bites melted like butter when the Kerala Government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre giving its consent to join the scheme. In effect, the state government took a U-turn from its consistent stand of opposing the central scheme.

Interestingly, even before the ink was dry on the signed memorandum, the Pinarayi government made yet another volte-face, and decided to put on hold the implementation of the scheme. This flip-flop was the result of unyielding resistance from the Communist Party of India, the second biggest ally in the government.

The CPI stood its ground, refusing to go back on its consistent opposition to the Central scheme. Once the news of the government signing the MoU was out, some of the CPI senior leaders made unbridled criticism of the decision. The threat of its ministers boycotting the cabinet meeting loomed large. Senior CPI(M) leaders, including Pinarayi Vijayan, tried to mollycoddle its ally, but nothing worked. Ultimately, Chief Minister Vijayan was made to eat his words, and the MoU was put on hold.

The opposition to the signing of the MoU is based on many factors. One, it was done without taking a decision in the cabinet meeting. Two, it violated the principle of collective responsibility of the council of ministers.

Three, the government went back on its opposition to the PMSHRI. The opposition to the scheme was primarily based on the requirement of accepting the National Education Policy. Four, the NEP militates against the federal structure of the Constitution. Though education is in the concurrent list, the NEP apparently gives many loopholes for the Centre to intervene. The policy talks about promoting Indian ethos and culture, themes close to the heart of the present regime.

The government’s track record of tampering with syllabus and textbooks at school and college levels casts shadow over its intentions. The government’s compulsion for signing the MoU is the huge amount of money, due to the State, pending with the Centre. According to reports, Kerala was due to get Rs. 859 crore from the Central Government under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) but has not received it due to its refusal to implement the PMSHRI scheme. This shortfall has a major impact on several lakh students in government and aided schools. It has hit distribution of free uniform, textbooks, scholarship for girls, etc. particularly affecting students from the marginalised communities. By signing the MoU, Kerala stood to receive this amount, including arrears.

The Education Minister of Kerala, V. Shivankutty, has justified the signing of MoU as a "tactical move" to safeguard state’s interests amid a financial crunch. Those who oppose the government’s decision question compromising a policy for the sake of getting funds from the Centre.

Kerala has broken ranks with Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, the two States that have refused to sign the MoU on the PMSHRI. Though Punjab had initially stood firm putting up a brave front, later it was forced to join the scheme. The Pinarayi government’s flip-flop in going with the Centre and later taking a U-turn on the PMSHRI scheme has more to it than meets the eye. It has, however, etched a black spot on the government and the Chief Minister himself.