Left govt disrespecting Kerala's culture: PM Modi

Thrissur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hit out at the Congress for making ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan a pawn to settle scores in the party’s factional fight two decades ago.

“It showed the lackadaisical way in which the Congress treated the strategic interests of the country,” Mr Modi said addressing the valedictory meeting of the Yuva Morcha state conference on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Modi said that Nambi Narayanan was a hardworking and patriotic scientist and that it was an  honour for his government to confer the Padma award on him.

In his 40-minute speech, Mr Modi came down heavily on the LDF government, the CPM and the Congress on the Sabrimala issue, corruption and the allegations raised by the Opposition parties against electronic voting machines.

“The cultural ethos of Kerala were under attack which was being led by the party heading the government in the state. The Congress which took different stands at the centre and in the state on the Sabarimala issue had exposed its double standard,” he said.

“Sabarimala has attracted the entire nation’s  attention. The people are watching how the Communist government is   disrespecting all aspects of Kerala’s culture. One does not understand why the communists are undermining our culture and civilisation which have stood the test of time,” Mr Modi said.

He lashed out at the LDF and the Congress over the corruption charges citing the resignation of LDF ministers and the solar scam during the time of the UDF government.

“In 2014, you made me the chowkidar of this country and I assure you that as long I am here, I will not allow corruption at any cost,” he added.

He also listed the  achievements of the NDA government and said that compared to 2014, the families with toilets had gone up from 38 per cent to 90 per cent and households with LPG connections from 55 percent to more than 90 percent. “Nearly six crore poor women were provided free LPG connections,” he said and pointed out that Kochi had the biggest refinery in India.

BJP state president P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam and Rajya Sabha MP V. Muraleedharan were present among others.