Kerala scales down Delhi stir plan to 'public gathering'

Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala recently decided to hold a stir led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the centre at Delhi on February 8, now it has been scaled down to a 'public gathering'.

Last week, LDF convenor E P Jayarajan formally announced the decision to hold the stir. The Chief Minister himself held talks with opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front for the Delhi stir, but the Congress refused to join.

Though the left-front in the south Indian state announced that it would seek participation of other non-BJP ruling states for the stir, the letter sent by Kerala chief minister to these states and opposition parties in this regard mentions that Kerala is organising a "public gathering" on the theme 'Indian democracy at the crossroads: Safeguarding the federal structure of the Constitution' at Jantar Mantar on February 8.

The letter also says that over the last decade, the Centre has been enforcing several regressive administrative and policy measures that seriously endanger the federal structure of the Constitution.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress said that the "Chief Minister got scared of the ongoing probes by the Central agencies, and hence the stir planned against the Centre was scaled down to a public gathering."