Drama Unfolds in Kerala Assembly Over Policy Address
The Kerala Legislative Assembly's Budget session started with high drama on Tuesday. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar omitted key parts of his policy address. These sections targeted the BJP government at the Centre. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan later stood up to read out the skipped portions.
Governor's Omissions Spark Controversy
Governor Arlekar did not read two specific sentences from the ratified policy address. The state Cabinet had approved this address earlier. One omitted sentence criticized Union Government actions. It stated that Kerala faces severe fiscal stress due to adverse measures undermining fiscal federalism.
The second skipped portion highlighted pending bills from state legislatures. It mentioned that the Kerala government has approached the Supreme Court on these issues. The court has referred the matter to a Constitution Bench.
Additions Made by the Governor
While reading another critical section, Arlekar added his own phrase. The original text discussed tax devolution and Finance Commission grants as constitutional entitlements. Arlekar inserted "my government feels" towards the end. This addition altered the tone of the address.
Chief Minister's Response
After the Governor left the Assembly, Chief Minister Vijayan addressed the House. He informed members that the Governor had deviated from the Cabinet-ratified policy address. Vijayan pointed out the additions and exclusions made by Arlekar.
The Chief Minister then read aloud the sentences that the Governor had skipped. He urged Speaker A N Shamseer to consider the distributed copies as the authentic policy address. These copies contained the full text without alterations.
Speaker's Decision
Subsequently, Speaker Shamseer made a ruling. He stated that the additions and exclusions by the Governor would not be considered part of the official policy address. This decision upheld the integrity of the Cabinet-approved document.
Parts Read by the Governor
Governor Arlekar did include some critical points in his address. He expressed concerns about the Centre's changes to the rural employment guarantee scheme. He also referenced legal challenges against the Union government in the Supreme Court.
In his speech, Arlekar emphasized the state government's commitment to constitutional values. He mentioned democracy, secularism, federalism, and socialism. He noted that the government defends these values through public domain actions and court approaches when necessary.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the state and central governments. It underscores issues of federalism and gubernatorial discretion in Kerala's political landscape.
