Binoy Viswam: Trust Brittas over Pradhan on PM-SHRI funds
Binoy Viswam: Trust Brittas over Pradhan on PM-SHRI funds
CPI leader Binoy Viswam says he trusts Brittas more than Pradhan, amid debates over Samagra Shiksha funds and Kerala's PM-SHRI stance.
CPI Kerala State secretary Binoy Viswam said he does not trust Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s words about John Brittas’s role in PM-SHRI, addressing a meet-the-leader event at the Calicut Press Club in Kozhikode. Viswam said Brittas told him that his conversation with Pradhan concerned the denial of central funds under the Samagra Shiksha project, not the PM-SHRI scheme itself. He added that Pradhan, whom he described as a leader of the RSS, would speak for the RSS, while he trusted Brittas more.
The backdrop to Viswam’s remarks is a December 3 Rajya Sabha discussion in which Pradhan asserted that Kerala initially agreed to sign an MoU for PM-SHRI but later did not implement it due to internal conflict within the ruling alliance. The CPI has been a vocal hurdle to PM-SHRI’s rollout in the state, and the Union government has tied funds to the state’s adherence to NEP commitments and other conditions.
In parallel developments, Kerala has signaled it could approach the courts to secure PM-SHRI funds and other central allocations under Samagra Shiksha. Education minister Sivankutty has indicated a willingness to pursue legal avenues to unlock these funds, while other ministers have reiterated that fund release depends on meeting stipulated terms. The central government has maintained that funds will be disbursed once NEP implementation and corresponding requirements are in place.
Taken together, the episode highlights a high-stakes contest over education funding in Kerala, with opposition voices accusing the Centre of delays for political reasons and the Centre arguing for compliance with statutory requirements before funds are released.
Cover image source: States will have to abide by terms of Samagra Shiksha to receive funds: Pradhan 🔗
