New Delhi, Jan 11 (JKNS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Kerala’s political establishment, alleging that alternating coalition governments have stalled development and fuelled corruption. Speaking at the Kerala Kaumudi Conclave in Thiruvananthapuram, Shah said the BJP-led Centre envisions a secure, developed Kerala that respects all faiths and delivers growth without discrimination.
As per news agency JKNS Shah, addressed the Kerala Kaumudi Conclave today in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Many dignitaries were present on this occasion.
In his address, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that the concept of ‘The New India, A New Kerala’ has been incorporated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi into the vision of a developed India. He stated that the concept of a developed India passes through a developed Kerala. Developed India means that every state of India should develop to its optimum potential, which implies that the vision of a developed Kerala is also included in it. Shri Shah said that our vision is to create a developed Kerala, a secure Kerala, a Kerala that respects everyone’s faith and keeps their beliefs secure. He said that infrastructure, education, R&D, industrial development, and an increase in an individual’s personal income this is our vision for ‘Viksit Keralam.’ In a developed Kerala, there should be concern for the security of every citizen, and the protection of every kind of faith and belief irrespective of any religion or community should be ensured.
Amit Shah said that we talk about an Aspirational India. We talk about an India where there is an advanced future, progress, hope in the mind, and which is self-reliant as well as self-confident. It is from these that the vision of a New India is formed. He said that to realize this vision, developing every state of India to its optimum level is our goal. We also envision a kind of politics in which performance is given priority over politics itself.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated performance-based politics in the country, where there is faith in commitment instead of complaints. He said that no matter how developed the country becomes, there will always be complaints, but there should be a commitment that we will resolve every grievance. We believe in creating a society where we do not need to appease anyone in order to pursue development. We want to move from silence to strength. Those who are sitting quietly, suppressed, should have so much strength that they no longer need to remain silent. We want to move from doubt to decision and from delay to delivery.
The Home Minister said that we have envisioned a Developed Kerala. Kerala is endowed with immense potential. Kerala’s culture, literature, and passion for education make it one of the top states in the entire country, and the whole of India has faith in this. From Ayurveda to IT, from sports to startups, and from backwaters to intellectual discussions—everything is present here, and Kerala has performed the best in these areas across the entire country. Shri Shah said that, however, the alternating cycle of power between the two opposition alliances in Kerala has brought a kind of stagnation into politics. He said that the recent local body elections in Kerala have completely changed the scenario. Shri Shah said that he has come to appeal to the people of Kerala for a new idea, new blood, and a new kind of politics. He said that only our party and our alliance can fulfill the needs of Kerala. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi ji, we can realize the vision of a developed Kerala in the best possible way.
Amit Shah said that Modi Ji is the only leader in Indian history who has envisioned such diverse development, ranging from Renewable Energy to Power Generation and Planet Protection. He said that Modi Ji has instilled a new sense of confidence. He stated that as a result, in just 11 years, we have been able to create an India that the world looks at in awe. In 2014, we were the 11th largest economy in the world; in just 11 years, we have risen from the 11th position to become the world’s fourth largest economy. Shri Shah said that before December 2027, we will become the world’s third largest economy.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that in the country, not only has there been economic development, but along with it, infrastructure has grown by approximately 610 percent. Today, 50 percent of all digital transactions in the world take place in India. This shows how much we have achieved in these 11 years. He said that in the past 11 years, we have provided homes to 60 crore poor people, given them gas connections, provided drinking water, supplied electricity, given 5 kg of free ration every month, and provided health insurance up to ₹5 lakh. Shri Shah said that PM Modi has fulfilled the basic needs of the lives of 60 crore poor people who had been struggling for two generations. He said that in the last 10 years, 27 crore people have risen above the poverty line. During this period, not only has there been development of infrastructure and India has not only become a manufacturing hub, not only have we brought investment in every type of manufacturing through the PLI scheme, attracted the highest FDI, and taken exports to their highest level ever, but we have also succeeded in lifting 27 crore people above the poverty line. He said that this is the model of India’s holistic development. We have proven it through various experiments.
Shri Amit Shah said that today India dominates in the fields of space and startups. In 35 segments of R&D, we stand between the top 1 to 4 in 15 segments, and in all the remaining segments, we are within the top 1 to 10. Ten years ago, we were not in the top 5 in any R&D segment. This is a very big achievement, which indicates that the future belongs to India. He said that over the last 10 years, India has on average become the country registering the highest number of patents. Today, the entire world is feeling that research and development is happening here, and the future belongs to India’s registered patents.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that we have gone before the people of Kerala with the slogan ‘Developed Kerala, Secure Kerala, and a Kerala that respects everyone’s faith’. This is very important for a diverse society like Kerala. He said that when appeasement takes place, in trying to please one group, you end up doing injustice to another. Shri Shah said that his party does not believe in appeasement, but rather ensures justice for all. He said that if we truly care about the development of every citizen of Kerala, then a remittance-based economy cannot benefit Kerala. He said that he welcomes remittances and they should continue to come, but the development of every citizen of Kerala cannot be achieved through them alone. Shri Shah asked that what will happen to those whose family members are not abroad? He said that we need to build an economic model that develops everyone, instead of relying solely on a remittance-based economy, and the remittance-based economy will also be a part of it. He said that remittances should not be reduced, but more opportunities must also be created. The potential of tourism will have to be explored, and the field of education in Kerala will also need to be explored.
Shri Amit Shah said that the hundred-percent potential of maritime trade in Kerala must be fully explored. Kerala’s Ayurveda, medicinal products, and spices are globally attractive, and these too need to be tapped. He said that Kerala has many industries—from data storage and IT to semiconductors—that do not require much land but require high Intelligence Quotient, and these must be developed. By strengthening the remittance-based economy, Kerala must adopt a comprehensive and inclusive model of development that will take the state forward. He said this model will bring opportunities for development to every citizen of Kerala. Shri Shah said that the model of development should be such that every citizen can see their own reflection in it, and that it should have space and vision for every citizen.
Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that we also want a safe Kerala. Law and order may appear fine on the surface, but when different kinds of threats grow slowly, they do not keep us secure in the long term. He said that when we imposed a ban on the PFI, both ruling coalitions’ here opposed it in muted tones and did not support our step. Shri Shah asked whether organizations like PFI and Jamaat-e-Islami can keep Kerala united. Those who do not believe in coexistence—how can they keep Kerala united? Identifying such threats and working to eliminate them is the responsibility of governance.
The Home Minister said that when he goes to different parts of the country and states that we banned the PFI and put its cadres behind bars, the whole country feels secure. He added that the concept of a ‘Safe Kerala’ is about identifying such invisible threats that operate behind the scenes and protecting Kerala from them. In this, the faith of people of every religion must be respected.
Shri Amit Shah said that the Modi government began programme for the welfare of poor and provided four crore houses to them without asking about anyone’s religion. Everyone is receiving water, everyone is receiving food grains, and everyone is receiving medical treatment. He said that when you run a government, justice must be done to all kinds of faiths. He said that questions of faith are raised in Sabarimala, yet when theft occurs in the Lord’s treasury at Sabarimala, it is covered up. This raises questions about governance. It is not enough for an investigation to be impartial—it must also appear to be impartial. Shri Shah said that the case of gold theft in the Sabarimala temple should be investigated by an impartial agency.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the system of two coalitions alternately coming to power in Kerala has increased corruption. Neither of the two coalitions investigates the corruption that took place during the other’s tenure. There has been no conclusive investigation into the cooperative scam, the AI camera scam, the PPP scam, and other scams. The bribery case and the solar scam have also not been investigated. The governments of both coalitions protect each other’s corruption. Shri Shah said that if the people of Kerala want to free themselves from corruption, they should give our government a chance once. He said that we want to establish “governance without corruption” in Kerala. Only our government can deliver governance without corruption, delivery without discrimination, and vision without vote-bank politics. He said that governance without corruption means transparent administration, which strengthens democracy; delivery without discrimination reinforces the core values of our Constitution; and vision without vote-bank politics can create a model of holistic development. We have demonstrated this across the country. Shri Shah said that over the past 11 years, the Modi government has done significant work in this direction, and we have also done a great deal for the development of Kerala.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that the central government in power from 2004 to 2014 gave Kerala ₹72,000 crore, whereas from 2014 to 2024, the government of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi provided development funds of ₹3.13 lakh crore to Kerala, even though our alliance did not have power in Kerala at that time. In addition, ₹22,000 crore was separately allocated for infrastructure development, ₹4,000 crore for road development, and ₹17,000 crore for railways and airports. In addition, ₹22 thousand crore was given separately for urban development. Under the AMRUT scheme, upgradation work was carried out in Alappuzha, Kannur, Kochi, Kollam, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, and Guruvayur. Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi have been included in the Smart Cities Mission. Under the Jan Vikas Programme, the Prime Minister personally launched about 19 community infrastructure projects with funding of ₹130 crore. Shri Shah said that it is not the Modi government but the Kerala government that has done injustice to Kerala. He said that only when a New Kerala is created will a New India emerge, and only with a developed Kerala will a developed India be achieved.
Shri Amit Shah said that Kerala Kaumudi has emerged as a credible voice in journalism in India’s regional languages. Through its long years of work, Kerala Kaumudi has become the voice of the soul of the people of the state. It has become a reflection of public, popular culture, and collective consciousness. (JKNS)