Modi should explain Indore tragedy: Binoy Viswam

Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary Binoy Viswam on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his upcoming visit to Kerala will need to explain to the country how the tragic incident of 15 people dying due to drinking contaminated municipal water was allowed to happen at Indore in Madhya Pradesh, where a “triple-engine administration” is in power.

“You are certain to make many promises to develop Thiruvananthapuram. Before landing in Thiruvananthapuram or after leaving the city, I hope you will find time to visit Indore, which is often celebrated as one of the cleanest cities in India. Such a label made it all the more inhuman when at least 15 people died after drinking contaminated municipal water recently. I hope you will explain to the country how this vile man-made disaster was allowed to happen in the 21st century,” he said in an open letter to the Prime Minister.

He said that Mr. Modi should also explain to Kerala why the Union government has been reluctant to help the victims of the landslides in Wayanad.

On MGNREGA

“I am told that you will address a public meeting at our iconic Putharikandam maidan. When you deliver your speech, spare a thought for a landmark around 300 metres to your left. It is called Gandhi Park, named after the very Father of the Nation whose name you removed from the rural employment guarantee scheme. I request you to desist from your move to kill MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) by imposing the VB-GRAMG (Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission) scheme. The air here is far less hazardous than the national capital where you have been living for over a decade now and where your party is at the helm of a double-engine government,” he said.

Mr. Viswam also contrasted the Mr. Modi visit to Thiruvananthapuram within 45 days of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning the civic elections to the Corporation to him taking 864 days to visit Manipur after violence broke out in the State.

“Just as you can breathe easy and healthy in Thiruvananthapuram, you can also speak freely in our State. Since Kerala has reminded you of foreign shores, such as Somalia, in the past, I hope you will summon the will to break your self-imposed silence on Donald Trump (U.S. President) and use the safe haven of Kerala to salvage the nation’s pride by giving a befitting reply to the U.S. President’s numerous statements taunting you, publicly demeaning you and threatening the nation with one punitive measure after another. We would also like to know what you think about the indefensible action of Mr. Trump in Venezuela,” he said.