The protest, organized by the Kerala Government, was a runaway success and witnessed a heart-warming manifestation of Opposition unity. The protest evoked solid support from the Delhi and Punjab Governments. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann (Aam Aadmi Party) attended the protest besides senior DMK minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah (National Conference), CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja and senior lawyer Kapil Sibal.

It was, however, sad to note the absence of the Congress from the historic event, which beamed a potent message to the Modi Government, signalling the Opposition’s determination to resist its ‘anti-people policies’. Of course, the saving grace was the message of support from the Congress-Government in Karnataka, which also staged a protest against the Union Government a day before. The icing on the cake was the expression of support from Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. Kharge’s statement constituted a stinging rebuff to the Congress in Kerala, which stayed away from the event.

In his inaugural speech, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the ‘historic battle’ is aimed at saving the spirit of cooperative federalism. “A democracy that was envisaged as a ‘Union of States’ is slowly being crippled into an undemocratic ‘Union over States’, thundered Pinarayi. “We are witnessing its manifestations across the country, especially in opposition-ruled states,” he added.

Pinarayi, also used the opportunity to lambast Governors who are acting at the “behest” of the Union Government and destabilizing state governments where opposition parties are in power. “In many states, including Kerala, we have seen Governors trying to overreach their constitutional mandate by meddling with the autonomy of the legislature,” he pointed out.

He also denounced the Prime Minister’s statement that the opposition was trying to create a north-south divide. It is totally untrue. “Ours is a democratic protest against the undoing of the federal structure and the sheer discrimination against the States irrespective of north, south considerations. Pinarayi who earned fulsome praise from all the leaders present for taking the initiative for the protest, said “taking into account the interests of our people and our state, we cannot be quiet.” The presence of Delhi and Punjab CMs, former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah, and CPI(M) and CPI general secretaries has knocked the stuffing out of the PM’s contention of attempts at creating a North-South divide.

The Chief Minister, all his cabinet colleagues eight MPs and 99 MLAs of the left took out a march from Kerala House to Jantar Mantar in the morning carrying the banner “Fight to protect Federalism”.

The Delhi protest has come at the right time for the beleaguered INDIA bloc, which is plagued by problems of dissension and desertion. Post protest, the spring is back in the steps of opposition leaders. And the credit goes to the left parties led by the CPI(M) for reviving the sagging spirits and boosting opposition unity. Incidentally, it is after nearly ten years that the Left is the centre of attraction at a national-level political movement.

The protest will have an adverse impact on the Congress which boycotted it in what can only be construed as a political blunder. The Kerala unit of the party will have to pay a heavy price for its serious lapse. It should have taken a leaf out of the book of the Karnataka Congress Government which organised a protest of its own a day before and extended its support to Kerala’s protest. But that was not to be. The boycott will only strengthen the belief that the Congress in Kerala is mortally scared of the Modi Government.

It is still not too late for the Congress to undo the damage done by its hostility to the Kerala protest. The party could have joined the protest even as it waged its battle against the Left in Kerala. Failure to do that would remain a stain on its credibility as a force which can lead a decisive battle against the Modi Government. The Congress must mend its ways and join hands with other opposition parties at the national level. Will the party summon the courage to do that? Time alone can tell. And history will not forgive it if it fails to read the writing on the wall. (IPA Service)