More CPI leaders express dissent over Kerala government's PM SHRI MoU

Thiruvananthapuram | More CPI leaders on Saturday came out against the LDF government signing MoU for the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, demanding that the agreement be cancelled.

The CPI, a key ally in the ruling LDF, has already expressed its dissent to the CPI(M) and the state government on the issue.

CPI central committee member Prakash Babu said the government should withdraw from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). "It is a political demand that the state government should withdraw from PM SHRI," he said.

"The statement made by the education minister that the National Education Policy (NEP) will not be implemented is wrong. Implementation of NEP is the first condition in the PM SHRI MoU,” he added.

He added that there are provisions to rescind the MoU. “By giving notice to the central government, the MoU can be cancelled. There are also other conditions mentioned for rescinding it. Only a political decision is required in this regard,” he said.

CPI Minister J Chinchu Rani said that the PM SHRI scheme was discussed twice in the state cabinet and that CPI ministers had opposed it. "We don't know how it was later taken up and who signed the agreement. Our party's state executive meeting will be held on October 27, where a further decision will be taken," she said.

She added that the CPI ministers and leaders came to know about the signing of the MoU only through the media. "We had clearly stated earlier that PM SHRI should not be implemented as RSS ideology will be included in the curriculum. We do not agree with it," she said.