THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of spreading false propaganda on Kerala's development, the ruling CPI(M) on Tuesday said the southern state ranks top in almost all the indices and asked him not to talk like a BJP leader.
A day after the Prime Minister criticized the lack of developmental push in the southern state at the 'Yuvam 2023' programme organized in Kochi, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan alleged that the Union government was not providing the rightful share of Rs 40,000 crore to Kerala.
Modi had on Monday taken potshots at both the Congress and the Left front in Kerala by saying that one was allegedly based on dynastic politics, while the other was allegedly more concerned about itself than the interests of the state.
Taking a swipe at opposition parties, the PM had said that while former governments were "known for corruption", the BJP government was creating new opportunities for youngsters.
"The Prime Minister says that Kerala lacks development but according to the Central government's Niti Aayog, the state ranks top in almost all the indices...From his statement, it seems like the Prime Minister will outdo the RSS and the BJP in spreading lies...The PM should not talk like an RSS or a BJP leader. This is unfortunate," Govindan said in a press meet here.
Govindan alleged that the Yuvam-2023 was organised to spread false propaganda.
"The Union government has not yet given the rightful share of Rs 40,000 crore to the state government but is spreading false propaganda saying Kerala lacks development. A programme to spread fake propaganda was unfortunately turned into a Prime Minister's event," Govindan told the media here.
The senior Left leader also lashed out at the Union government and Modi over the gold smuggling through diplomatic channel of UAE consulate case and said even after investigation by the central agencies for nearly three years, the BJP government has not yet traced the sender nor the receiver of that smuggled item.
The PM had in his speech at the youth conclave, referred to the controversial gold smuggling case allegedly involving some top officials of the Pinarayi Vijayan government and said some are working hard to smuggle gold.
"The central government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying there was no need to attach the properties of prime accused Swapna Suresh. They have not yet found the culprits behind the case. The BJP government is trying to blame the state government for the lapses on their behalf," Govindan said.
He also hit out at Modi's statement that the northeastern states and Goa -- which have large Christian populations -- have accepted BJP and its work.
"BJP has got only 15 seats altogether in Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland...They joined hands with regional parties to claim power. In Goa, eight of the Congress MLAs were allegedly purchased by the BJP to form the government. Their claim that they have influence in Christian community is false," Govindan said.
The CPI(M) reiterated its stand that the BJP, which has 37 per cent vote share in the country, can be removed from power if the anti-BJP parties stand together.
He said it was necessary to defeat the BJP in the 2024 elections to safeguard the country.
Besides attending the Yuvam-2023 meeting on Monday, Modi today flagged off the first Vande Bharat train from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod and also launched the state government's ambitious Water Metro service.