Thrissur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing criticism of the CPM government and its handling of the sensitive Sabarimala issue. He was addressing a public meeting of the Yuva Morcha. “Today, the cultural ethos of Kerala is under attack. And this attack is being made by the party that is governing the state,” he said. He reminded the ruling party in the state that the people of India are witnessing the manner in which the communist government is disrespecting all aspects of Kerala culture.
He ridiculed the UDF for saying one thing in Delhi and another in Kerala and warned them that this strategy is not going to work. He alleged that neither the Congress nor the communists have any concern for women empowerment. “If they did, they would not be opposing the NDA government’s effort to end triple talaq,” he said. He pointed out that India has had many women chief ministers, but questioned why not one woman from the communist side of the political spectrum ever made the cut.
The Prime Minister pointed out the opposition’s utter disregard for constitutional institutions, be it the armed forces, the Police, the CBI, the CAG, or the Election Commission. “Everybody is wrong. But, they are right,” he added. He came down heavily on the “EVM hacking fiasco expose” (orchestrated by a senior Congress functionary) that played out in London recently. He called it an effort to undermine the mandate of the Indian electorate from foreign soil.
“Congress and communists talking about democracy is the biggest joke,” he said while referring to the political murders in Kerala, a culture which has now spread to Madhya Pradesh. He alleged that many Congress leaders still suffer from the mindset of the emergency days. The Prime Minister mentioned the Padma Bhushan award conferred on ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in the context of his government’s determination to honour people who work to make India stronger. He minced no words in calling out the now-infamous ISRO spy episode (in which Mr. Nambi Narayanan was falsely implicated) as a fake case invented by a few UDF political leaders to settle political scores.
He also pointed out the major developmental initiatives undertaken by the central government in the last 4.5 years. Major improvement in the ease-of-doing-business index (from rank 142 to 77), moving past China in foreign direct investment (FDI), launch of Ayushmaan Bharat – the largest healthcare program in the world, improvements in sanitation, 100% rural electrification, and pace of infrastructure development were the key points he addressed in his speech.
