THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala needs an apology from Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, not silence, for comparing the state with
Somalia
. Modi has left Kerala without apologizing to the Keralites who have been insulted by him, said chief minister
Oommen Chandy in a Facebook post.
"Everyone expected an apology from Modi when he came to Kochi the other day. But he has left ending his election campaign without answering to my questions,’" said Chandy.
"The people of Kerala were not expecting a silence from Modi but they hoped that he would withdraw his statement which did not happen,’’ said Chandy. "Still the people of Kerala believe that Modi will rethink and apologize for the mistake he did."
PM Modi said on Sunday that "the child death ratio among Scheduled Tribes in Kerala is scarier than even Somalia" - provoking protests across the state.
Modi also cited media reports that said tribal children in Peravoor were seen foraging for food in a garbage dump to make his case that the state had not been properly governed.
Chandy said Modi's comparison of Kerala, whose high social indicators are widely acknowledged, with Somalia was absurd.
After the protests, Modi was expected to retract his statement and apologize but he did not, Chandy said.
(With inputs from agencies)