Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], March 21 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday accused the Central Government of obstructing the development work in the state, highlighting the repeated 'opposition' of the Centre towards the K-Rail project.

While speaking to ANI exclusively, the Kerala CM claimed that the Centre 'stood' with the stance of 'certain vested interests' that the project should not be implemented when the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government is in power.

'The K-Rail project can be seen as a project necessary for improving our country's transportation facilities. What justification is there for opposing it? Saying that the K-Rail project should not be implemented when the LDF government is in power reflects the stance of certain vested interests here. The central government stood along with that position. Is that the duty of the central government?' he asked.

Furthermore, the Kerala Chief Minister said that instead of supporting the development activities, the central government intends to oppose them.

'The central government is supposed to support development activities carried out in a state. But they were not willing to do so. Priority should be given to the development of the country. Unfortunately, there is a section in Kerala that stands against development, the opposition. Whenever development projects come up, the opposition looks for ways to obstruct them. We must recognise that opposition,' he added.

Vijayan also condemned the Centre for 'submissively' accepting the decision of the United States 'allowing' the purchase of Russian oil amid West Asia tensions, saying that it has brought a great level of 'humiliation' to the country.

'Now, the situation has reached a point where our country is functioning like a vassal state of the United States. That is why the USA took a position of allowing the purchase of oil from Russia. Trump is ready to say that, and Narendra Modi and India are ready to accept it submissively. Who gave such authority to the United States? Are we not a sovereign nation? As part of being a sovereign nation, it is our country that should decide where to buy oil. Do we need America's consent for that? Did the central government have the courage to say that? We must view such matters seriously. The stance taken by the central government is one that humiliates our country. India has now become a country that is most humiliated before the world. The backward slide of the country began with Congress, and the BJP has taken it to completion,' he asserted.

The remarks come as Assembly elections will be held in Kerala on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. The tenure of the current assembly is set to conclude on May 23. (ANI)