Kozhikode (Kerala) [India], October 22 (ANI): Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal has alleged that not only the PM SHRI scheme but every new incident in Kerala is part of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Communist Party of India (Marxist) secret understanding.

Speaking at a press conference here, Venugopal accused the left government of cooperating with the BJP on multiple fronts while pretending to oppose it publicly. Venugopal clarified that the Congress was not implementing the PM SHRI scheme.

'It's wrong to say Congress is implementing PM SHRI. We will never support the Sangh Parivar's educational agenda. Congress is not against teaching about Mahatma Gandhi, but we oppose any ideological distortion in the syllabus,' Venugopal said.

The Congress MP further questioned the allocation of Rs 1,400 crore under the PM SHRI scheme, asking if it was 'a bribe in the name of education'. He urged the CPI(M) to maintain its earlier stand against the central project and not compromise under political pressure.

Referring to the recent High Court verdict against the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), Venugopal said the situation was serious.

'The Board does not deserve to continue even for a moment. The Left government has completely failed to protect temples. Licenses are being given out to loot temple properties,' he alleged.

Venugopal added that several irregularities occurred after the Special Commissioner was removed in 2025, and the High Court has now increased the likelihood of a deeper investigation.

Concluding the press conference, Venugopal said his political focus remains on strengthening the UDF and defeating the Marxist party in Kerala.

'I am active in Kerala not for any position, but to make the UDF stronger and successful. I come from Keral, the people of Alappuzha made me who I am,' Venugopal added.

This comes as the Kerala government has officially moved ahead with the PM SHRI (PM's Schools for Rising India) scheme launched by the centre.

The move by the Pinarayi Vijayan government came after two years of opposing the centre's scheme, despite the Communist Party of India's (CPI) strong objections to its implementation.

According to the Ministry of Education, PM SHRI School is a centrally sponsored scheme by the centre, intended to develop more than 14,500 PM SHRI Schools managed by the Central Government/State/UT Government/local bodies, including KVS and NVS.

It will nurture students in a way that enables them to become engaged, productive, and contributing citizens, building an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisioned by the National Education Policy 2020. (ANI)