Reckless policies of LDF, UDF led to fiscal crisis in Kerala: Sitharaman

New Delhi: In a blistering attack against the Congress and Left parties, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said that the "reckless policies" of the LDF and UDF governments have led to a "fiscal crisis" in Kerala. 

Dismissing allegations that the Centre has cut funds for the southern state, the Minister said that "Kerala received Rs 1.57 lakh crore between 2014 and 2024, which is an increase of 239 per cent over the UPA period. How much did it receive between 2004 and 2014? Rs 46,300 crore."

"The truth is that Kerala's fiscal crisis is a result of both the LDF and UDF governments' reckless policies and not the fault of the central government. Did it stop us from doing work in Kerala? No,"she said in Rajya Sabha. 

Sitharaman also quoted a Supreme Court judgment in a case relating to borrowing limits, which said Kerala "has not unutilised the fiscal space and that the state has over-utilised its fiscal space".

Amid protests from opposition members and heated exchanges, Sitharaman referred to the Communist Party of India (CPI) government of Namboodiripad being dismissed by the Congress regime at the Centre.

"When the Namboodiripad government was thrown out by the Congress.... Do remember the day when democracy was killed by an elected government being thrown out. Where were you at that time?" she asked.

"You are a Communist party member, you are sitting in alignment with the Congress. The Congress is the one which threw it out, you do not even want to remember that. With respect, I will bring Namboodiripad, the patron of Communism in India," she said.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar pointed out that it was the first-ever elected Communist government in the world.

As some opposition MPs asked what was the relevance of mentioning the point, Sitharaman said, "For me, even the 1959 throwing out of the Communist government is not old. (It) shows how Indian democracy was misused by the Congress."

"If a Communist party member asks me what is the relevance of it.... It hurts me to no end. I am surprised. You should never forget," she said.