PM in Kerala: Modi targets UDF, says there is no government in the state

Palakkad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday slammed the Congress-led UDF in Kerala over the solar scam and the brutal rape and murder of a Dalit woman saying, there seemed to be “no government” in the state. “I am afraid to use the word solar in Kerala as it would create a ‘big dhamaka’ (explosion),” he said referring to the solar scam which has rocked UDF government with charges being made even against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. [caption id=“attachment_2761762” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. AFP[/caption] He was addressing an election rally of NDA at the Fort Maidan here, his first in the series of four lined up in the coming days for the 16 May Assembly polls, as BJP goes all out to make its maiden entry in the assembly. Modi also criticised the state government’s “failure” to rise to the occasion while handling the rape case. “A Dalit sister was raped and killed. We don’t see a government anywhere,” Modi said. The statement assumes significance as even after nine days, police was yet to nab the culprits involved in the brutal rape and murder of the 30-year old woman in Perumbavoor near Kochi. The Prime Minister made the solar comment after referring to the solar initiative he had launched in his constituency Varanasi for converting diesel-powered engines to solar-powered battery engines in fishing boats. This had given the fishermen a profit of Rs 500 per day, he said. “I thought why this cannot be replicated in Kerala also. But I was scared. I felt, if I go to Kerala and talk of solar, there will be ‘big dhamaka’,” Modi said as the people cheered and clapped. “See the change from government to government. In Varanasi, the solar-powered boats are powering the lives of fishermen, but in Kerala the government is run by solar,” Modi said, taking a dig at Chandy. The Prime Minister also targeted the CPM in the state, saying it was following the “politics of violence”. Several innocent BJP workers lost their life in the attack over the years by CPM, he said charging they were physically annihilated as they did not agree to the Marxist ideology. Modi also mentioned about the insult meted out by CPM student wing to a retired principal of a government college here. Some activists of SFI, students wing of the CPM, had prepared a “grave” for her as a retirement gift. “Do you want to vote for such people? Whether you will pardon those who committed this insult?” Modi asked. Attacking both UDF and LDF, Modi said a third force (BJP) has emerged in the state to act as “strong umpire” in the Assembly. Stating that development and creation of more jobs was the only way to save Kerala from the present situation, he said, educated youths should get jobs in the state instead of going out leaving their aged parents behind. The Prime Minister said though the people of Kerala were well educated and knowledgeable, they failed to understand that they had been ’looted’ in the past 60 years by the UDF and CPM-led LDF governments which ruled the state alternately. “It is an adjustment rule by the two fronts. Five year Congress-led UDF rules, then next five years CPM headed LDF rules…They decide among themselves we will loot for five years, then you loot for five years,” he charged. “Those who ruled the God’s own country for the last 60 years have only destroyed it…There seems to be a scientific arrangement to ruin Kerala. Both Congress and Left have mutually decided to loot turn by turn,” he said. Stating that there was no umpire in the state assembly now, he said adding: “If Kerala has to be saved, there is need for a strong umpire — BJP. I assure you that we will not allow Kerala to be destroyed by the two fronts.” Modi said this time “a third decisive strength is emerging in Kerala and I am seeing this”, thanking the thousands of people who stood braving the scorching heat outside the huge pandal in this town, which had been recording about 40 degrees Celsius since the past few days. He said BJP-NDA wanted to take Kerala on the path of development, and appealed the people to vote for the BJP to improve the state’s future prospects. “Our government’s only mantra is vikas (development),” he said. Modi said NDA government at the Centre had always gone an extra mile and worked tirelessly for those in need during difficult times, especially in the evacuation of Indians, including Keralites from the strife torn Libya and Yemen. “We could not sleep until our daughters were brought back safe,” he said crediting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for “working tirelessly to bring them back to India”. “If there is a problem in Kerala, there is pain in Delhi,” he said.

On the recently launched India’s own regional Navigational system ‘NAVIC’, Modi said until now, the country was using the GPS system of the US. “Hereafter, India will decide its own path. We will decide the ‘manzil’ (destination),” he said.