Kerala government stood for gender equality: Governor

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 25 (IANS) Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam on Friday said that the state government has upheld constitutional values and gender equality and embraced the values of secularism and pluralism in every walk of social life.

"It is worth mentioning that my government has stood for gender equality, social justice and the dignity of the toiling masses," the Governor said while reading his address in the Assembly.

"It has scaled further heights in ushering in an era of enlightenment by rekindling the lights of renaissance and inculcating a new sense of oneness in the minds of emerging generations," he said.

Also launching a broadside against the Centre, he pointed out that time and again it had been pointed out that the imbalance caused by the detrimental effects of unhealthy Centre-State relations in general and fiscal relations in particular had put Kerala at a great disadvantage in furthering the advances it has made in several sectors.

"So, my government seeks a total restructuring of the Centre-State relations, in such a way that it will enrich both the Centre and the State.

"It is rather unfortunate that the State has been 'penalised' for achievements it made in various fields... The State is at a loss to understand the criteria with which it is deprived of its rightful share in the amount earmarked for these sectors.

"Our gains should not be a reason for the losses that we currently have to bear," added the Governor.

On gender justice, Sathasivam said the Supreme Court had ordered that preventing the entry of women in a particular age group to the Sabarimala temple was unconstitutional.

"My government is duty bound to implement the judgment and uphold our Constitution. The various events that followed underlines the urgent need to carry forward the progressive values of the renaissance movement," said Sathasivam, himself a retired Chief Justice of the apex court.

The present session of the Kerala Assembly will last nine days.