The information received through RTI regarding the exchange of currency worth Rs. 745.58 crores within six days of demonetisation in Ahmedabad District Co-operative Bank in Gujarat is in the news. What is important is that one of its directors is Amit Shah BJP President and was the Chairman earlier. In another co-operative Bank which is headed by a minister of the BJP government in Gujarat has received Rs.693.19 crores.  Almost Rs. 1500 crores have been deposited in these two banks alone. There was an earlier report that the BJP in Bengal has deposited currency worth hundreds of crores in similar manner.

Though the public suffered for months sue to monetisation, BJP and its connected institutions utilised the opportunity for their own benefits.

It is reported that Prime Minister Modi did not give time to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to meet him to discuss some important issues, including the construction of Railway Coach Factory at Kanjikode, Palakkad. It is also reported that this is not the first time that Prime Minister is declining to meet the Kerala Chief Minister.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was waiting for more than one week to meet the Governor at the latter’s office.

Is the Federal Structure of the nation being demolished by the central government and the Prime Minister? It will be a dangerous precedence.

Kerala left Front Government respects and honours the sports persons. During the two year periods of its rule, it has appointed 157 sports stars in state government service. It is a record in itself. The government is giving active encouragement for improvement of sports facilities in schools and other institutions.

The dark memories of the draconian ‘National Emergency’ is still not forgotten. It was on 25th June 1975 that the President of India promulgated the ‘National Emergency’ at the instance of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. In fact the declaration was not because there was an emergency situation in the country, but only because there was a danger to the continuance of the Indira Gandhi government after the Supreme Court verdict nullifying her election. It was a fake emergency imposed upon the people to save Indian National Congress and Indira Gandhi.

The 1974 Railway Strike and various agitation by the workers, the strong protest against the anti-people decisions of the government followed by the Supreme Court verdict created a situation, where the ruling party was not in a position to digest. The panacea to pass over the crisis was the declaration of emergency. All political opponents were arrested and put in jail arbitrarily. Trade Union leaders were also jailed. The newspapers were silenced. They could not print any criticism of the government. Functioning of political parties and democratic institutions were literally prohibited. The police and the government machinery were utilised to crush any opposition to the ruling party and the government. It was dictatorship.

Leaders of central/state government employees’ unions were also jailed. It was difficult even to hold union meetings. There were spies, CBI, CID etc. every where to report any objection to the emergency. Student leaders were arrested and jailed. NFPTE also had to face a lot of victimisation.

The entire opposition parties united to fight against the National Emergency. Thinking that the entire opposition was derailed, Indira Gandhi declared General election in 1977 after about two years of emergency. But the government was mistaken. The people who were suffering under emergency ensured that the Congress is defeated. It was one of utter defeat for the Congress. The Janatha government came in to power. The dark days were over.

Though 43 years are over, the dark period is not forgotten. There are many indications that the actions of the present government is tilting towards authoritarianism and fascist tendencies. The entire people should ensure that the ‘Emergency’ is not repeated.

Chief Economic Advisor to the Government, Arvind Subramaniam has resigned from his post, before completion of his contract period. Another economist, Arvind Panagaria, had resigned from the NITI Ayog post a few months earlier.

What is happening? Why these top level economists are resigning their posts one after another? The Government and the Prime Minister should tell the public what is wrong? Of course, the economy and growth is coming down.

The long pending demand of the Kerala for the construction of a Railway Coach Factory was approved by the Central government and more than 230 acres of land was acquired for the purpose by the state government in 2012 itself. The government decided for Coach Factories at the same time, one at Rae Bareilly in UP and one at Kanjikode, Palakkad in Kerala. The former one has already been constructed and started functioning, but the latter is completely ignored. Now, the Railway Minister stated a few days back that there is no requirement for another factory, which was corrected by himself later stating that the government has taken no decision to close the project, due to strong criticism.

The stand of the central government is nothing but discrimination against Kerala for political reasons. The reason for not proceeding with the project was stated that the state government is not keen and is delaying the acquisition of land for the project. It is a fact that the required land of 230 acre was already acquired and ready for construction. The Minister’s lie was exposed.

The Railways require coaches, the land is acquired and the Kerala Chief Minister and M.P.s have asked for starting the project.

The centre should take immediate action to construct the railway Coach Factory at Kanjikode, Palakkad, Kerala.