Somalia Jibe: Kerala CM Oommen Chandy may move EC against PM Narendra Modi

KOCHI: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said that the government is planning to approach the EC with a complaint against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement comparing Kerala to Somalia.

He said he was “shocked” to note that the Prime Minister has not withdrawn his remark comparing Kerala to Somalia. Speaking to reporters here Oommen Chandy said that Narendra Modi had an opportunity to withdraw his statement. He however remained silent on the issue, Chandy pointed out. He was making a wrong statement with a political objective at the time of the election, the Chief Minister said. While making such a statement he should remember that Kerala is a part of India, Chandy said.

He should remember the office that he is holding, the Kerala CM added. Kerala is No 1 in terms of human development index as per the statistics published by the centre. He should examine the position of Gujarat which he ruled for 15 years, Oommen Chandy said. The statement is an insult to Malayalees everywhere, he said. During his visit to Kerala last week, the Prime Minister had said that the child survival rate in the tribal belts in Attappadi in Kerala can be compared to Somalia.

The leaders of both the ruling UDF and the Left Front had reacted sharply against the statement of Modi. Though Modi returned to Kerala to speak at an election campaign at Trippunithura on Wednesday he chose to remain silent on the topic.

However, Adivasi leader C K Janu, who is contesting from Sultan Battery after floating a new party called Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha, said that Somalia is better off when compared with the living conditions of tribal population in Attappadi and other areas in Kerala. “They are attacking the prime minister for telling the truth,” she said.