Thiruvananthapuram | Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan on Tuesday strongly criticised the Left government's policy address read out by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar in the State Assembly, calling it a document filled with "false claims and half-truths".
He was speaking to reporters along with UDF leaders soon after the governor delivered the government-approved policy address.
Satheesan said the policy speech itself was proof that the government is facing a serious financial crisis.
"Between the lines, the failure of the government stands out clearly. The policy statement is an open admission that the government is in severe financial trouble," he said.
Satheesan said that the government had earlier claimed that Rs 53,000 crore was due from the Centre but made no mention of it in the policy address or even in the case filed before the Supreme Court.
Taking a dig at the government's claim of upholding secular values, Satheesan said it was contradictory.
"Keeping a minister like Saji Cherian in the cabinet, who raised extreme communal remarks, the government claims to protect secular values," he alleged.
On the claim that Kerala has become an extreme-poverty-free state, Satheesan said it was "a blatant lie and an injustice to the poor".
He said nearly six lakh families are still listed as extremely poor, while media reports continue to highlight people without food and shelter.
Satheesan also said Kerala's health sector is "on a ventilator", citing a rise in infectious diseases and arrears of Rs 1,200 crore under the Karunya health scheme for low-income families.
He criticised the higher education sector, saying universities are functioning without vice-chancellors and colleges without principals.
"Students are leaving the state in large numbers," he claimed.
Referring to law and order, Satheesan said Kerala is witnessing "unprecedented crime and drug mafia activity." He also accused the government of "neglecting farmers, wildlife attack victims, and pensioners."
On the Governor-government tussle, Satheesan said, "Whenever the government is in crisis, there is a fight with the governor. When the crisis passes, they settle." He said people have stopped taking such confrontations seriously and called the policy address "a document with no credibility".