Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emphasized that Kerala must move forward on its own strength rather than rely on external aid. Speaking at the inauguration of the 5th International Kerala Studies Congress, he noted that in the last four years, the Central Government denied the state nearly ₹2 lakh crore. While central allocations account for 80% of revenue in some states, Kerala depends on it for only 20–25%.

“The last ten years of governance have laid the foundation for a New Kerala,” the Chief Minister said. “Our future cannot be limited to being a consumer state. We must produce world-class goods and services and develop human resources capable of global contribution. Doubling Kerala’s domestic production and bringing every family’s standard of living closer to that of developed nations are top priorities.”

Kerala’s rise from 11th to 6th place in per capita income demonstrates progress, though the CM stressed the need to accelerate the pace. Amid continued neglect from the Center, the state must explore new avenues of resource mobilization. “The benefit of consecutive LDF terms is that we can continue projects without interruption, modernizing the Kerala Model of Development,” he said.

The Chief Minister concluded by underlining that environmental protection and development go hand in hand. “A strong economy improves livelihoods while preserving natural resources. We must move from an era of brain drain to brain gain, envisioning a future that is both bright and green,” he said.

Stand Against Slanderous Propaganda: Pinarayi

On the backdrop of the teaser release of the second part of the controversial film The Kerala Story, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called on the people to stand united against slanderous propaganda, ensuring that Kerala continues on its path of development and secular harmony.

In an Instagram post titled “Kerala Rejects Stories of Hate”, he said, “The news regarding a sequel to The Kerala Story—a film specifically designed to sow hatred and insult the state’s secular tradition—must be taken with extreme seriousness.” The post quickly went viral, attracting over 2 lakh likes within four hours.

He added, “Kerala had already rejected the first installment as a communally motivated fabrication filled with blatant lies. We countered that distorted narrative by asserting the real Kerala story of harmony and coexistence. Those behind these continuous hate campaigns fear the Kerala model, which upholds brotherhood and secularism.”

Pinarayi pointed out that forces from the Sangh Parivar promoted the fake narrative, even portraying consensual interfaith marriages as forced conversions. “They view Kerala with hostility because we have no communal riots and people of all faiths coexist with mutual respect. It is astonishing that ‘toxic creations’ designed to spread division are granted screening permissions, while films like Beef were denied at IFFK merely because of the title. Those who try to poison our peace are the true enemies of our land. We must unitedly reject every attempt to portray Kerala—a state leading in sustainable development and law enforcement—as a breeding ground for terrorism. It is our collective responsibility to show that Kerala’s secular foundation cannot be shaken by fake propaganda. While confronting hate campaigns with the contempt they deserve, we must uphold facts and the values of secularism. Kerala is our pride. Truth must triumph over lies. We must stand together.”

India–US Trade Deal Is an Assault on Sovereignty: Prakash Karat

CPI(M) senior leader and former General Secretary Prakash Karat criticized the India–US trade deal, calling it an attack on India’s sovereignty. Speaking at a seminar organized by the EMS Study and Research Centre in Kochi on “Consequences of the India–US Trade Deal”, Karat said, “Through this unbalanced agreement, the US is imposing imperialist corporate interests on India.”

He alleged that the Modi government had compromised national sovereignty by yielding to American pressure. “The US has raised tariffs on countries that defy its demands and even resorted to military action, as seen in Venezuela. The aim is to strengthen the American economy and maintain global dominance,” Karat added.

Under the deal, import duties on American products to India have been slashed from 17% to 0%, while duties on Indian exports to the US have risen from 3–4% to 18%. Karat warned that this would flood Indian markets with American goods, displacing local products. He further criticized the agreement for compelling India to purchase defense equipment on US terms and for removing the Digital Tax, which would allow foreign tech giants to dominate and misuse local data.

The seminar was presided over by S. Satheesh, Chairman of the EMS Study and Research Centre.