Another poll time blunder by the globe-trotting PM
It should have been fun being in Kerala yesterday, where there has been more than serious speculation that, never mind the national trend reflecting the receding popularity graph of Modi and the BJP, the state assembly elections on May 16 may actually throw up a surprise: a few seats for the saffron party desperate to open its electoral tally in 'God's Own Country '. High on literacy and with its peculiar demographics that ensure social harmony, Kerala also tends to be snootily isolationist in bucking the national trend. Hence discussions allowed possibly one to three assembly seats to the BJP. Until today.
That could now be a dream lost, turned to a nightmare by none less the their star campaigner, Narendra Modi. In his peculiar breast beating style, he told an election gathering that human development indicators of Kerala could be compared to Somalia. Within minutes, the man who boasts of a twitter mass following was being trolled #PoMoneModi.
Elections are just five days away. And #PoMoneModi is trending on Twitter — it roughly translates to ‘chal hat Modi. The trendy hashtag #PoMoneModi -based on the popular film dialogue of actor Mohanlal which can be loosely translated as Go Back Modi – started trending from the morning of Wednesday .
One of the tweets said "BJP vote share in Kerala is 6 % and Kerala literacy is 94 %. Totally matching equation. #PoMoneModi". There were MEMs and visuals to match the words on social media. Mainstream newspapers, portals and even the international media had picked up the irresistible story. Firstpost made this catchy musical video
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Kishor Kumar 3 p.m.
#PoMoneModi Kerala tops Indian States in HDI (0.825), the only state in India having high HDI according to UN. Kerala should look to western countries for its future development goals, not to Modi's Gujarat.
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Then there was Prince Roshan at 8 p.m
#PoMoneModi : Dear PM…Please try to get better advisors who can provide you with facts before makin a speech in Kerala..Comparing Kerala with Somalia!!!!please refer the statistics of development released by RBI ….. Photoshop politics may work in northern states..maybe people believe everything u say u being their rolemodel and majority of then may not take efforts to check the facts behind ur speech…but not in kerala..you think we people are fools .so didnt give bjp a chance..since bjp dint rule here Kerala became Somalia..leave behind the facts….lets us assume wat u said is true..but dnt u think tat kerala is one of the state under ur rule…so isnt it shameful to urself tat a state like somalia exists in a country where you are the prime minister!!??
And Varun Iyer at 9 p.m.
As the prime minister of the nation, neither should he be demeaning other countries and straining our already pathetic relationships with the world more, nor should he be comparing one of his own states to an absolutely impoverished country to try getting a vote bank for his party which never wins in Kerala. He did compare the infant mortality rates among scheduled tribes is greater than that of Somalia which might actually be true, but such pathetic fact twisting for votes is just condemnable. You're running the nation Modiji, not a political party anymore. Till the time you can't get your facts straight, #PoMoneModi.
It was at the height of the campaign moment that Modi, arms flung wide, with the BJP’s campaign harping on its mantra of development: Narendra Modi whilst addressing a rally in the state, compared Kerala with the country of Somalia. Now, here’s the rub: Kerala is one of India’s most developed states; ranked first in the country for Human Development indicators. Somalia is one of the least developed countries in the world, with a terrible HDI record.
To be entirely fair, PM Modi’s statement had some context when he said "The unemployment rate in Kerala is at least three-times higher than the national average. Infant mortality rate among the Scheduled Tribe community in Kerala is worse than Somalia”) This nuance was lost on social media, however.
Sitting chief minister Oommen Chandy wrote an outraged letter to the prime minister. "You made statements that had nothing to do with reality and likened Kerala to Somalia. This is unbecoming of a prime minister and has created a great deal of agony," he said. "You spoke of a Kerala boy eating from a waste dump at Peravoor (in Kannur district). Two probes on this were done and the truth was far from what you said…”
"For five years, Kerala had been providing rice at one rupee to 94 lakh people. Now, this was being given free of cost, making us the second state in India to do so. … The facts being so, what was your motive behind saying such a blatant lie to the people of Kerala?"
“"Yet, you compared Kerala to Somalia that is reeling under poverty and internal strife. Is it not a shame for the prime minister to pronounce that a state like Somalia exists in the country?"
"You made statements that had nothing to do with reality and likened Kerala to Somalia. This is unbecoming of a prime minister and has created a great deal of agony," he said. "You spoke of a Kerala boy eating from a waste dump at Peravoor (in Kannur district). Two probes on this were done and the truth was far from what you said…”
"For five years, Kerala had been providing rice at one rupee to 94 lakh people. Now, this was being given free of cost, making us the second state in India to do so. … The facts being so, what was your motive behind saying such a blatant lie to the people of Kerala?"
“"Yet, you compared Kerala to Somalia that is reeling under poverty and internal strife. Is it not a shame for the prime minister to pronounce that a state like Somalia exists in the country?"
There only counter voice was from Shivaram Viswanathan
“Most of the people who support or bash upon #PoMoneModi doesn't know the context. Modi compared infant mortality rate of tribal zones of Kerala to Somalia. He is wrong in the fact, but it is not as glossy as it is stated in the online memes. Though Modi deserves the bash for wrong facts, he also did a good thing to shed lights on this issue. Hope Kerala takes it forward and bring the life of tribal people on par with other areas of the state. Its time to be opportunistic and prove Modi wrong through action than online bashing.”
But then this is not the first time that Modi has blustered and blundered. Nor is it likely to be the last.