BJP has suffered most in Kerala post-independence: PM

Thrissur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had suffered most in Kerala during the last 50 years, adding that scores of party workers were “murdered” in the state for political reasons.

Addressing BJP workers here, the Prime Minister also decried social untouchability in Kerala and said that several saints and Rishis had dedicated their lives to end social untouchability in the state.

“Nowhere has the BJP and its nationalist ideology suffered more than it has suffered in Kerala in the last 50 years. Lots of efforts have been made to end social untouchability in Kerala. Several Saints and Rishis dedicated their life to ends social untouchability in Kerala,” Prime Minister Modi said.

“In the last few years, more than 200 BJP workers have been killed in Kerala for political reasons. Nowhere else has this happened in India’s political history. I salute the sacrifice of the BJP workers,” he added.

He also said that some political leaders in Kerala had resorted to low deeds to suppress their opponents.

” BJP has been at the receiving end of political untouchability in Kerala from other parties,” he said.

The Prime Minister also recalled his UAE visit during which he interacted with people form Kerala.

“Few months ago, some of our daughters from Kerala who were working as nurses were held captive by terrorists; entire country was in tears,” he said.

“But as a result of our good relations with other nations, our daughters were brought back safely,” he added.

He also lashed out at the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition and Communist Party of India (Marxist)- Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala and accused them of looting the state in turns.

Asserting that the lives of the fishermen in Kerala needs to be improved, the Prime Minister said that his government would implement schemes to modernize fishing industry.

Prime Minister Modi arrived at Kochi Naval Base today on a two-day trip to Kerala. The Prime Minister was received by Kerala Governor P Sathasivam and Chief Minister Oomen Chandy.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will address Combined Commanders’ Conference on INS Vikramaditya tomorrow. He will also meet Sree Narayana Guru at the Sivagiri Mutt besides unveiling a statue of former Chief Minister R Shankar. (ANI)