Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent comparison between Kerala and Somalia has created a storm and has been highlighted on most news channels as well as social media. On Twitter, the hashtag #PoMoneModi started trending and gave an entirely different angle to the speech.
Media, along with opposition parties presented various facts with regards to the Human Development Index (HDI) and literacy rates in Kerala, stating that they are high compared to that of other states in the country.
However, I fail to understand why these people were unable to comprehend the fact that what the prime minister was talking about was the child death ratios among the lower sections of Kerala and how they are worse than that of Somalia. Modi raised this concern for the people of Kerala by trying to make them understand that there are a few sections of society that continue to be underdeveloped, and doomed into poverty.
With high literacy rates in Kerala, and by raising false allegations against the PM, we are being narrow minded and defaming our own state. No one had to raise allegations when he brought back nurses who were marooned, and immediately sent a crew of expert doctors after the Puttingal Temple Tragedy. It is utterly shameful that we now twist his words to such an extent, forgetting what he has done for the development of the people of India.
Let’s broaden our perspective, and stop raising allegations against a man who is trying to strive for the development of our nation. Rather than judging, let’s all help out in developing our country.
— The reader is an Indian student based in Dubai
