Kerala: Congress questions govt's 'salary challenge' move

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Raising doubts over the purpose of the state government's 'salary challenge' in the wake of the Covid-19 situation, the opposition Congress party on Tuesday said that it would oppose the compulsory deduction of a month's salary of government employees and teachers.
"As per our assessment, the state has received Rs 1,894 crore from the Centre -- Rs 1,277 crore towards solving revenue deficit, Rs 157 crore as Covid-19 relief and Rs 460 crore as flood relief fund.The state's current financial position is sound enough to fight the pandemic," opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said alleging that attempt was to "loot the employees".
The UDF, he said, was ready to cooperate with the 'salary challenge', but the state finance minister is hiding the details of central aid. "What's the purpose of this salary challenge? Instead of transferring financial aid directly to the bank accounts of people affected by the infection and lockdown, the government is taking away whatever is left with them," he said.
Addressing the media along with Chennithala, former CM Oommen Chandy and KPCC chief Mullappally Ramachandran too expressed the party's opposition to the move. "Threatening employees will destroy the existing unity which has provided us the confidence to fight Covid-19. People are willing to contribute, but it shouldn't be by force or by threats," Chandy said. He urged the government to sanction additional aid to local bodies -- Rs 5 lakh to panchayats, Rs 10 lakh to municipalities and Rs 1 crore to city corporations -- apart from the permissive sanction now given to use own funds to initiate anti-Covid activities.
The KPCC chief alleged that the government's 'extravagant spending' led to the financial crisis. He sought government's intervention in problems faced by farmers, unskilled labourers and non-resident Keralites. The leaders also alleged that the government was trying to politicize the voluntary Covid prevention activities by blocking Congress and IUML workers and giving passes only to CPM workers. Chandy slammed the government for its 'lapse' in establishing Kasaragod Medical College, which the previous UDF government had initiated. This led to the death of 10 patients due to denial of medical help at hospitals in Karnataka and 'humiliation' the state suffered, he said.
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan however said in a statement that the opposition stand reflected their narrowmindedness.