Kochi, Mar 2 (IANS): The CPI-M in Kerala has given the green signal for private investment in the higher education sector during the 23rd Party Conference, in its policy document which was presented by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Incidentally, in the 2018 Conference, the CPI-M had strongly opposed the same.

Further, the Chief Minister has said that the concept of "gawking wages" (often referred as 'noku kooli' in local parlance that means wages collected by loading and unloading workers without doing any work) not be allowed under "any circumstances" as a lot of damage has already been done by this practice.

Reacting sharply to the development, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy -- who had witnessed "huge protests" from the CPI-M on several occasions whenever it came to taking up some new initiative by the Congress party -- said, "First, the CPI-M opposed mechanisation in agriculture, then in the early 90s they went berserk against computers, and when the concept of promoting education in the private sector came, it was all opposed by them."

"All of these are now one by one being promoted by the very same people and party who had once opposed it. In Kerala what really matters is who is doing it, and not what's being done," Chandy asserted.