Kerala Chief Minister Leads Protest Against Centre's Fund Distribution, Joined By Delhi and Punjab CMs

On Thursday, Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stood alongside their counterpart from Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, as he led a demonstration at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. The protest aimed to highlight what they perceive as unfair treatment in the distribution of federal funds by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

Pinarayi Vijayan, in a press briefing ahead of the protest, emphasized the significance of this event for Kerala, terming it a "historic protest in Delhi." He stressed that various representatives from Kerala, including ministers, legislators, and parliamentarians, would actively participate in the demonstration. Vijayan, a leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), explained that such an unprecedented struggle was necessary for Kerala's welfare and progress.

The Kerala government's decision to protest against the central government coincides with similar grievances raised by neighboring states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu against the Modi administration. Prime Minister Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have vehemently denied the allegations put forth by these southern states.

The participation of Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), along with other opposition parties like the CPI(M), Congress (which holds power in Karnataka), and its ally DMK (in power in Tamil Nadu), underscores the growing coalition known as the INDIA bloc. This coalition, comprising 28 opposition parties, aims to thwart PM Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from securing a third consecutive term in the upcoming April-May elections.

It's worth noting that Arvind Kejriwal himself has faced scrutiny from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a central agency tasked with investigating financial crimes, regarding his alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy scandal.