M Swaraj Condemns K C Venugopal’s Remarks on Welfare Pensions

Nilambur: LDF Nilambur bypoll candidate M Swaraj has strongly criticised Congress MP K C Venugopal for his recent remark referring to welfare pensions distributed by the Kerala government as “bribes.” Swaraj said the statement was deeply insulting to nearly 60 lakh Malayalis who receive social welfare pensions and demanded that the remark be withdrawn.
“This is not just a political comment; it is a direct insult to lakhs of ordinary people in Kerala who rely on pensions for their livelihood,” Swaraj said. “He might have made the statement without fully thinking about its implications. But comments like these should be avoided by responsible leaders.”
Swaraj clarified that those who receive welfare pensions are ordinary citizens of Kerala, many of whom are elderly, differently- abled, or economically disadvantaged. He acknowledged that in some isolated cases, a few people may have attempted to access pensions through improper means, but the government had intervened and recovered such amounts. “The real beneficiaries of these schemes are the common people. They receive these pensions not as favours, but as their rightful due,” he said.
He added that such a statement from a senior leader could be mentally distressing to many beneficiaries. “Pension is the right of the people. If a poor person is struggling to survive in our society, it is the duty of the government to provide support. A government that ensures no one suffers due to financial hardship is fulfilling its responsibility to uplift the community.”
Swaraj highlighted that it was under the leadership of the CPI M government in Kerala that the country’s first Agricultural Labour Pension was introduced, back in 2000. “At that time too, Congress had opposed the move, calling it an extravagance. But later, even they realised their mistake, and the agricultural workers came to understand that this pension was their right.”
He said that beneficiaries today accept the pension not with shame, but with pride. “The LDF government is not merely disbursing money; it is helping people realise that this support is their right. Welfare is not a political gimmick. It is a commitment to social justice.”
Terming K C Venugopal’s statement as a misrepresentation of Kerala’s welfare history, Swaraj said it was an insult to lakhs of people and must be retracted. “No leader should make such a derogatory remark. I am not trying to crucify him for it, but the statement was inappropriate and must be corrected,” he said.
The controversy arose after Venugopal, during a campaign event in Nilambur, accused the LDF government of distributing pensions as a means to influence voters. The comment triggered strong public criticism. As the campaign intensifies ahead of the Nilambur by-election, the issue has become a focal point in the political discourse, with the LDF defending the welfare model and demanding accountability for what they describe as an irresponsible and offensive remark.