Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan to Lead Satyagraha Against Centre’s Financial Blockade of Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: A satyagraha protest will be held on Monday under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against what the state government describes as the Union government’s harsh and discriminatory financial policies towards Kerala. The protest will take place from 10 am to 5 pm in front of the Palayam Martyrs’ Memorial, with ministers, public representatives, Left Democratic Front (LDF) leaders, and supporters participating.

Despite the continued neglect by the Centre, Kerala has been attempting to move forward by increasing its own revenue and adopting alternative development policies. However, the Centre is allegedly taking an anti-Kerala stance by obstructing even these efforts. The Centre has shifted the entire financial burden of the employment guarantee scheme onto the state, while also withholding several fund allocations under the pretext of branding norms. Delays in major infrastructure projects and the absence of new initiatives are the result of deliberate central neglect.

The issue has also sparked debate over the silence of the opposition and a majority of the media, which have failed to raise their voices while the Centre denies Kerala its rightful share of funds for political reasons. Additionally, nearly 57,000 crore rupees for Kerala has been withheld over the past five years.

BJP-led Union government views the timely implementation of projects in Kerala—including centrally sponsored schemes—as a disadvantage. Centre has cited Kerala’s strong infrastructure, including good roads, hospitals, and schools, as reasons to block funds. Moreover, the Centre is manipulating Finance Commission criteria to disadvantage states governed by non-NDA parties. Monday’s protest is described as a continuation of the agitation earlier led by the Chief Minister in New Delhi.

Constituent parties of the LDF, allied political organisations, and other organisations will participate in a march to support the satyagraha. The protest, according to the LDF, will have the backing of people who care for the state and its future.

‘A Crucial Struggle’ — Chief Minister

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Monday’s satyagraha would open a crucial front of struggle against what he called the Centre’s economic blockade that is pushing back Kerala’s development gains. He said people across the state, along with elected representatives, would unite against these policies.

In a Facebook post, the Chief Minister said the LDF government remains committed to creating conditions that allow all sections of society to live with dignity and satisfaction. He alleged that the Centre’s financial squeeze, aimed at stalling development and suffocating the state, has triggered widespread public anger. According to him, the move is intended to undermine the public acceptance earned by the LDF government through people-centric development initiatives. He added that Kerala would firmly resist central actions that obstruct welfare measures such as women’s safety programmes, the ‘Connect to Work’ scholarship scheme, and the distribution of social welfare pensions.