After K M Mani, Rs 2 crore to build memorial for Gowri Amma and R Balakrishna Pillai; govt announcement amidst financial crisis…

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The budget announcement to construct memorials for senior leaders K R Gowri Amma and Balakrishna Pillai who died recently is sure to stoke a controversy. The government is keeping aside Rs 2 crore each to build memorials for the two leaders at a time when the state is facing a severe financial crunch. The memorial for Pillai will be erected at Kottarakkara. It has been not mentioned in the budget where the memorial for Gowri Amma would come up.

It is heard that the government was under strong pressure from the Kerala Congress (B) to build a memorial for Balakrishna Pillai. There is also a strategy behind this to appease Ganesh, who was not included in the first term of the second Pinarayi Government. The government aims to convince political Kerala on the closeness between the CPM and Gowri Amma by building a memorial to the JSS leader.

The announcement by former finance minister Thomas Isaac to donate Rs 5 crore to the foundation named after former finance minister K M Mani to build a memorial building was much discussed then. This was a political move before the Kerala Congress Jose faction joined the Left Front. Shortly afterwards, they severed ties with Joseph faction and left the UDF. The move to take over the RCC’s land in Akkulam to build a memorial to K M Mani had also courted a controversy then.