Thiruvananthapuram, 14 Feb (H.S.): A political row has erupted in Kerala after senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala’s appeal to prominent public figures to boycott a government-organised development conference appeared to falter, with the State Planning Board releasing a list of participants that includes veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar.
The three-day international conference, titled “Vision 2031: Development and Democracy,” will be held from the 15th to the 17th of this month at the Sankaranarayanan Thampi Hall inside the State Legislative Assembly complex. Organised under the leadership of the Kerala State Planning Board, the event aims to deliberate on development strategies and democratic governance in the coming decade.
Chennithala had recently issued an open letter urging several eminent personalities to reconsider their participation. Among those he appealed to were Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen, historian Romila Thapar, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, and noted nutrition expert Shakuntala Thilsted.
In his letter, Chennithala alleged that the conference was designed to enhance the image of the ruling Left Democratic Front government ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. He criticised the state administration as “authoritarian” and accused it of lacking credibility and accountability. According to him, the presence of internationally respected scholars and leaders could be used as an endorsement of the government’s claims on development and democratic governance. He warned that selective visuals, quotes, and videos from the event might be projected globally as validation of the state’s performance.
However, the official list released by the Planning Board includes all the personalities Chennithala had requested to withdraw. Amartya Sen and Romila Thapar are scheduled to address the inaugural session online. Shakuntala Thilsted will attend in person, while Farooq Abdullah and Kanimozhi will participate in the valedictory session, alongside CPI(M) veteran Prakash Karat.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the conference at 4 p.m. on the 15th. The Indian Ambassador to Palestine, Abdullah Abu Shawesh, is also expected to attend both the inaugural and closing sessions, underscoring the event’s international dimension.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
