Modi’s Triumphant Trip to Kerala, Inaugurates State’s First Vande Bharat Express and also Kochi Water Metro

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, Apr 25: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express train from Thiruvananthapuram and also inaugurated the Kochi Water Metro, a one-of-its-kind project that connects 10 islands with Kochi through electric hybrid boats.

Modi flagged off the semi-high-speed, fully-air conditioned train service, covering 11 districts, linking capital Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north of the State, at 11.10 a.m. from the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station.

Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw handed over a green flag to the PM who waved it and saw the train off on its inaugural trip. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Shashi Tharoor MP were among those present on the occasion.

The Vande Bharat train will cover 11 districts namely Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod.

Modi also inaugurated several other projects in Kerala, including the Kochi Water Metro, a one-of-its-kind project that connects 10 islands around Kochi through battery-operated electric hybrid boats for seamless connectivity with the city.

Addressing a rally in Thiruvananthapuram, Modi said that the central government lays emphasis on cooperative federalism. “If Kerala develops, India will develop faster,” he said.

The Prime Minister held a mega roadshow in Kochi on Monday markedly different from his other roadshows. He got out of his car and began the roadshow on foot, just days after a letter threatening a suicide bomb attack on him had the Kerala police and central agencies on alert.

Soon after reaching Thiruvananthapuram from Kochi on Tuesday morning, Modi went straight to the Central Railway Station at Thampanoor, which has been under tight security cover in anticipation of his visit. Along the route from the airport to the city, Modi was greeted by hundreds of people who thronged the footpaths.

On his arrival at the station, he entered the Vande Bharat Express and interacted with selected school students who were given an opportunity to ride on the inaugural trip. Modi was seen speaking to the smiling children, shaking hands with them and checking out their art works of the Vande Bharat Express and of himself. Souvenir passes for travel on the inaugural run of the train were issued to groups including prominent personalities, rail enthusiasts, school students and journalists. The train will begin regular operation on the Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram route on April 26 and on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod corridor on April 28.

Modi is visiting the southern state amidst the BJP’s massive minority outreach programme which apparently has evoked a positive response from a section of priests of various Christian denominations. The party leaders’ recent visit to Christian families and their breakfast meetings with some priests in the community are being viewed as part of their efforts to reach out to minorities ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

BJP believes that Modi’s visit would give an impetus to their ongoing campaign and kickstart the party’s propaganda for the general election. Seven bishops of various Christian sects met Modi last evening after which one of them has said the people of Kerala are “appreciative of PM Modi.”

Cardinal George Allencherry, the Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar church told reporters, “We shared the anxieties we have regarding our mission work in north India, which is being hindered by religious fundamentalists. We spoke about rights of Dalit Christians, the poor and the marginalised. We presented woes of farmers, fishermen and people in coastal areas.”

The Prime Minister, he said, had listened attentively and promised protection for all believers. He had also shared his government’s push for the Christians and the poor in the state through 10 per cent reservation, he said. “The people of Kerala are appreciative of PM Modi. We are looking for further development,” he added.

Christians comprise 18 per cent of the population in Kerala, where the BJP has not made much headway electorally so far. But by pro-actively reaching out to the Christian population and the youth, the party hopes the picture to change in time for next year’s general elections.

In Kerala, BJP leaders met with the clergy and leaders of the Christian community at their homes. On Vishu, the Malayalam New Year Day, they hosted breakfast at their home for Bishops and other Christian leaders. The Christian community is also seen as responding, with several prominent pastors issuing pro-BJP statements.

Earlier this month, a bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church said the view that the Christian community was being persecuted in India was an “unnecessary propaganda” unleashed internationally by vested interests.

The Prime Minister’s visit to Kerala was a dream come true for the Malayalam actor Unni Mukundan, who has lived over 20 years in Gujarat and had always wanted to meet Modi personally and talk to him in Gujarati since his teenage years.

When he got a chance to meet him in person, that too for 45 minutes, in Kochi on Monday night, the “Malikappuram” actor’s joy knew no bounds and said he was yet to recover from the excitement. In a late night Facebook post, the 35-year old Mukundan said this was the “most electrifying post” from his social media handle.

Thanking PM Modi for the meeting, the actor recalled seeing him from far as a 14-year old. “Thank you sir, from seeing you afar as a 14-year old and now finally meeting you, I’m yet to recover!” he said in the Facebook post. He also did not hide his excitement when the PM greeted him in Gujarati “Kem cho Bhaila” on stage during the ‘Yuvam’ programme in Kochi on Monday evening.

“Your, “Kem cho Bhaila” on stage literally shook me up! It was one big dream that I had to meet u and talk to you in Gujarati! It’s done and what a way it has been! 45 mins of your time, is the best 45 mins of my life!” Mukundan said. The actor also said he would never forget a word which the PM had told him and every advice from him would be put into practice and implemented.