THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech at the Vizhinjam port inauguration was a blend of praise for Kerala and pointed political remarks aimed at the Opposition, particularly the INDIA bloc led by Rahul Gandhi. In a veiled jab, he said, “I want to tell the chief minister: You are a strong pillar of the INDI alliance. Shashi Tharoor is also here. Today’s event will surely disturb the sleep of many.”
The impromptu speech left even the translator Pallipuram Jayakumar stumped. And he erroneously translated the remark as, “Care should be taken to address the problems related to our airlines.” Noticing the error, Modi took it in his stride. “The message has reached where it was meant to,” he said, drawing laughter and applause from the audience.
He also highlighted Ports Minister V N Vasavan’s reference to Adani as a “partner” during his welcome speech, portraying it as a sign of changing times when a communist government acknowledges a private company as a partner.
In jest, he also lauded Gautam Adani, who was present on the dais, for developing in Vizhinjam a port grander than the one at Mundra, Gujarat. “In Gujarat, he has been working on the [Mundra] port for 30 years. But it’s nothing compared to what he has developed here. He must to be prepared to hear complaints of the people of Gujarat,” Modi said.
Surprisingly, the PM made no mention of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, J&K – an issue he had addressed at a recent public event in Bihar.
Opening his speech, Modi expressed joy at being in the land of Sree Padmanabha and paid homage to Adi Shankaracharya on his birth anniversary. In his closing remarks, he remembered late Pope Francis, speaking warmly of their meeting and conversations about peace, humanity and service. “Those discussions continue to inspire me,” he said.
However, Vasavan, sought to distance himself from controversy, saying there was not much to be read into his “partner” reference.
