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PoMoneModi trends as Kerala laughs at PM Modi's remarks

Speed News Desk | Updated on: 11 February 2017, 6:43 IST

While addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in Kasargod on 9 May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi compared Kerala to Somalia.

And his statements did not go down too well with the people of Kerala, to say the least.

"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," PM Modi had said.

"The state can meet only 13 percent of their requirement of agricultural products. Even after 70 years of Independence, Kerala depends other states for 70 percent of its power requirements. Similarly, most of the youth in Kerala are forced to leave their home state in search of job. Only through overall development, the state could be brought back to its past glory", he said.

All of the critique was a bit much for the inhabitants of God's Own Country to stomach.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy penned a vitriol-fuelled letter to the Prime Minister, demanding that he retract his statements about Kerala - a state that has performed spectacularly on several human development indicators, especially literacy.

"But the people of Kerala were shocked to hear from you certain baseless comments in your recent election rally speech likening Kerala to Somalia. This is unbecoming of a prime minister,"

Chandy wrote. "Kerala's human resources has caught the attention of the world. Yet, you compared Kerala to Somalia that is reeling under poverty and internal strife. Is it not Kerala a state in India? And is it not a shame for the Prime Minister to pronounce that a state like Somalia exists in the country," he added.

Understandably miffed with PM Modi's comments, the people of Kerala did not hold back the sarcasm, lashing out at him on microblogging site Twitter.

"Go stand in a corner, son" was the message the people of Kerala had for the Prime Minister, with the hashtag #PoMoneModi flooding social media.

First published: 11 May 2016, 3:13 IST