Kerala can change as PM Modi says: but..

Prime Minister Modi’s Kerala visit on 24th and 25th of April was primarily to start the campaign for 2024 parliamentary polls. The headlines given to the events by some national media outlets suggest the same. One of the well-planned events amid unprecedented security arrangements was a gathering of Yuva Morcha activists and young sympathizers of BJP, which was titled as ‘ Yuvam’. However, even at that venue, there was not any opportunity for debate. His second event was a meeting with eight Christian church leaders. The intent of the meeting is no mystery considering the attempts in progress to launch a new satellite outfit called the National Progressive Party by bringing together dissidents from Kerala Congress groups in order to fulfill BJP’s plan to infiltrate the Christian community, which has 19 percent vote share in Kerala.

The discussion at the meeting, however, was on minority issues. Nevertheless the Bishop of the Jacobite Church claimed to have expressed concern over attacks on Christians, but the prime minister is not known to have given any assurance. PM Modi was also silent on the question of rubber price, which is the main agenda of the church leaders and Kerala Congress. Modi’s silence has to do with Central government’s difficulty in offering help, given that the agreements with ASEAN countries are still in place. The Prime Minister has given no word on the reservation for Dalit Christians either. The BJP completely rejects the Justice Ranganath Commission's recommendations to introduce reservations to Dalits converted to Christianity and Islam. It is no coincidence that the Prime Minister's programmes did not include a meeting with leaders of the Muslim minority, which constitutes 27 percent of the state's population. It may not be because of the fear of a backlash for leaving out Muslim families from Sangh Parivar’s home visit when it was conducted in the state’s select Christian homes on Easter. It could be for isolating and trampling them down as second-class citizens as they are the first of the three groups whose patriotism was questioned in 'Bunch of Thoughts'. One has to remember that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has declared that the current Muslim reservation will be repealed if BJP comes to power in Telangana.

The most appreciative of Prime Minister's events was gifting of Thiruvananthapuram-Kasarkot Vande Bharat train to Kerala. Although politics can be read into it as well, it should be viewed appreciatively. No matter whatever Pinarayi government’s claims be, the much-touted K-Rail dream project, costing more than a lakh crore, is not going to be a reality anytime soon. It could trigger serious environmental issues as well. However, the trial run of Vande Bharat Express on the current tracks had taken eight hours and five minutes to arrive at Kasaragod from Thiruvananthapuram. Although the ticket prices are high, the train is a great help for those in emergency. The train has a stop at the main city of each passing district. However, the cancellation of the stop at Tirur in Malappuram district, previously allowed in the trial run, has triggered wide protests. Denying the only stop to the most populous district cannot be justified. It is hoped that the authorities will resolve this grievance soon. The Union Minister's announcement of Rs 2033 crore for railway development in Kerala is heartily welcomed. Smooth train transport is the only solution to Kerala’s nagging transport woes.

The Prime Minister's announcement that Kerala will also change, taking into account the state’s achievement in literacy, education, health, and other indicators, could point at a development potential becoming a model for the entire nation with generous central assistance. However, if Narendra Modi is implicitly hoping to change secular Kerala to the extreme Hindutva by outwitting both the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF, the BJP and Modi himself has to understand it is not going to dawn that easily. The party that rules most Indian states must understand that its failure to get a seat in Kerala for Lok Sabha and assembly is not because of not having on board a few actors, sports stars and church leaders. If change is desired, there should be change in the fundamental approach too.