What happened
Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of the Opposition in Kerala, criticized the Kerala UDF government’s stand on PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India).
Pinarayi Vijayan argued that Kerala can withdraw from PM SHRI even after signing the scheme memorandum of understanding (MoU). He said that Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary’s Rajya Sabha reply on July 29 disproved the Kerala UDF government’s claim that withdrawal is not possible after MoU signing.
Pinarayi Vijayan relied on the reported Rajya Sabha reply statement that states that do not sign or that withdraw would forfeit the benefits. Vijayan used the forfeiture consequence to argue that no legal or procedural barrier stops a state from withdrawing from the PM SHRI MoU.
Background and earlier position
Pinarayi Vijayan also accused the Kerala UDF government of inconsistency. Vijayan said the UDF opposed PM SHRI while in opposition and later agreed to implement PM SHRI after coming to power in Kerala.
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