Kerala announces mass protest against Centre over alleged financial “strangulation”

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday announced that a one-day Satyagraha, a resistance protest with mass participation, will be held on January 12 in Thiruvananthapuram against the alleged ongoing financial “strangulation” by the Centre.

“A one-day Satyagraha with mass participation will be held, marking the state’s protest against the sanctions,” the chief minister wrote in a post on his X earlier today.

Sharing what he described as a “bleak picture of the financial blockade,” CM Vijayan wrote, “Slashing Rs 5,900 Cr from the state's eligible borrowing limit for the last three months (January–March) of the financial year. Total borrowing limit reduction for this year alone is Rs 17,000 Cr.”

He added that a request for an additional Rs 6,000 Cr loan as compensation for the state’s expenditure on National Highway land acquisition remains pending.

The chief minister further alleged that Rs 965 Cr of IGST recovery is currently being withheld.

Additionally, Rs 3,300 Cr in borrowing permission has been denied based on guarantee deposits, he said.

He also stated that the total arrears for centrally sponsored schemes stand at Rs 5,784 Cr.

CM Vijayan added that what he called “concerted efforts” to stall Kerala’s progress will be duly resisted by the people of the state.

“We shall fight, we shall win,” he added.

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