Shajumon Vattekkat, the State President of the Scheduled Caste (SC)-Scheduled Tribe (ST) Morcha of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has accused the Kerala Government of neglecting SC and ST students. According to Vattekkat, the Government has failed to disburse educational benefits and scholarships for SC-ST students for the academic years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.
The allocated funds for SC students amount to Rs 122.16 crore, while ST students were supposed to receive Rs 16.53 crore, totaling Rs 138.69 crore. This negligence has severely impacted the educational prospects of numerous SC and ST students, particularly those enrolled in Higher Education programs. Consequently, many students have been forced to discontinue their education as essential grants, including lump sum grants, hostel fees, fellowships, and state allowances, have been halted indefinitely.
Vattekkat strongly condemns the Kerala Government’s stance, which has put the future of SC-ST students at risk, and calls for urgent action to rectify the situation.
Shajumon emphasized the need for the SC-ST Affairs Minister to provide clarification regarding the situation. He demanded the prompt disbursement of all pending payments owed to SC-ST students. Additionally, Shajumon announced that Morcha leaders would visit all SC-ST hostels across the state and organise agitations on behalf of SC-ST students to address this issue.
Furthermore, Shajumon highlighted several initiatives that the Kerala Government has ceased, including the tradition of awarding gold coins to ST students who achieve A Plus grades in all subjects in SSLC examinations. Similarly, the government has discontinued providing a Rs 5,000 incentive to SC students for exemplary success in SSLC examinations. Additionally, the policy of awarding fifty percent of entrance examination seats in professional courses has been halted, along with the termination of the monthly payment of Rs 5,480 for MBBS students.
The discontinuation of the Meritorious scholarship, administered through the Block Scheduled Caste Development Office, has added to the plight of SC-ST students. These benefits have been gradually phased out since 2020, leaving students without essential support. Moreover, the government has neglected to maintain accessible websites for students to apply for various schemes. Such actions are condemned as deliberate attempts by the Pinarayi Government to derail the academic careers and futures of SC-ST students.
Shajumon Vattekkat affirmed that the BJP would vehemently protest against the Pinarayi Government’s anti-Dalit student policies. He called upon the Scheduled Caste Welfare Council and SFI to clarify their stance on this egregious government action.
Shajumon criticised the upcoming ‘Adivasi-Dalit Mukhamukham’ program initiated by the Chief Minister, labeling it as another betrayal of the SC-ST community. With the Pinarayi regime nearing eight years in office, the government has yet to formulate a definitive SC-ST Policy, instead opting for symbolic face-to-face interactions. Shajumon condemned this as a political maneuver aimed at deceiving the SC-ST populace, especially with the Lok Sabha elections on the horizon.
He lamented the stagnation of SC-ST development schemes in the state, noting that individual benefits and student aid have been halted for the past two years. Moreover, SC-ST funds are allegedly being misappropriated by local self-government departments. Shajumon highlighted the dire condition of the Schedule Caste and Scheduled Tribes Development Departments, likening them to being on life support or nearing collapse.
Furthermore, he accused the government of reducing funds allocated for SC-ST development, leading to widespread discontent among SC and ST communities in Kerala. Shajumon urged SC-ST communities to see through the political facade of the Mukhamukham program, which he deemed as an attempt to pacify public anger under the guise of development proposals.
The aforementioned actions corroborate the longstanding accusation leveled by all Sangh-inspired organizations against the CPM-led Left Democratic Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. They contend that, akin to other communist administrations, this government has consistently acted against the interests of marginalized and underprivileged sections of society.
