THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The heart-warming unity shown by both the government and the opposition in getting the Kerala Assembly to pass a unanimous resolution promising unflinching support for rehabilitation on a war footing in the wake of the state’s devastating floods came as a breath of fresh air.
However, the debate during the recently-held one-day special session of the assembly also revealed a disturbing trend. Some of the speeches made by MLAs belonging to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) were shockingly not in consonance with the ‘sense’ of the House. The speeches militated against the spirit of cooperation that animated the resolution.
That was bad enough. Worse was the refusal of these speakers to learn appropriate lessons from the big tragedy that befell the state. The tone and tenor of speeches made by MLAs PV Anwar, S. Rajendran and Thomas Chandy were out of sync with the popular sentiment to ensure, in future, implementation of environment-friendly policies.
It is an irony they represented constituencies which were among the worst hit by the century’s most damaging floods caused by rains the state has not witnessed hitherto.
The selection of these speakers reflects poorly on the Pinarayi Vijayan government committed to rebuilding a new and better Kerala. The government should have fielded speakers who have imbibed the spirit of the times. That being the case, people cannot be blamed if they start doubting the sincerity of the government in reconstructing Kerala on the basis of environment-friendly policies. To say that the government erred badly in fielding these MLAs is only to state the obvious.
Better late than never. The government must forthwith disassociate itself from the atrocious speeches made by these leaders and people of their ilk must be marginalized if the reconstruction effort is to proceed on the right lines.
These MLAs who have refused to learn, a la the Bourbons of Europe, should have taken a leaf out of veteran leader VS Achuthanandan’s book. VS’s stirring and hard-hitting speech was the best on the day. No wonder, the House heard it in rapt attention.
Though he did not mention any names, it was clear who he was targeting. The government, VS said, erred while formulating development policies. The veteran leader called for sustainable and eco-friendly policies to avoid future disasters. “Successive governments failed to scientifically analyse the Madhav Gadgil Report and treated it politically instead,” he said. Succumbing to pressures from vested interests and the rich in the name of development ignoring the dangers to the environment in general and to the Western Ghats in particular was inexcusable, Achuthanandan thundered.
The government should also not be too touchy about criticism. It was a glaring mistake not to allow Saji Cheriyan and Raju Abraham, the CPIM) MLAs representing Chengannur and Ranni, which bore the brunt of the ran and flood fury, to speak! That lapse exposed the government to the charge of being intolerant of criticism.
The decision to send ministerial teams abroad to raise funds for the reconstruction and rehabilitation effort has also drawn flak. There is no need for the ministers to go abroad spending crores when there is need to save every rupee, the opposition leaders contend. And they have a point.
Significantly, the Centre is also tight-lipped on clearing the visit of the ministers. It shows that there is no change in the Modi government’s policy against accepting foreign aid.
The government also invited criticism for the chief minister’s refusal to hand over charge to any minister while he is abroad for treatment. The absence of the chief minister is bound to affect the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, contend the opposition. Ideally, the seniormost minister should have been made the in-charge during the CM’s absence.
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