Even as the Congress and the left parties in Kerala are fuming over the Sivagiri Mutt’s invite to Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Malayalees residing in Gujarat have openly come out in support of the top BJP leader.
There are an estimated 25 lakh Malayalees living in all parts of Gujarat, many of them holding high positions in Government, industries and other business houses.
Describing the Congress and left parties’ opposition to Modi as “unfortunate”, KRS Dharen, president of Sree Narayana Cultural Mission, said that branding Modi on 2002 riots issue and keeping him away is not fair.
Political leaders in Kerala must see for themselves the development in Gujarat under Modi’s tenure, Dharen said.
“A controversy over a Chief Minister visiting another State is not healthy democracy,” he added. Father Babu of the Malayalee Catholic Federation (Gujarat) said that the controversy should have been avoided. “The minorities are having a secured life in Gujarat,” Father Babu added.
“Malayalees in Gujarat are happy and living in peace, perhaps better than in Kerala,” remarked JS Menon of the Akhil Gujarat Nairs’ Association.
Modi is a good administrator and Malayalees here are supportive of him due to his development agenda, Menon said. When the left activists had shown black flags to Modi during his Kerala visit few years back, the Malayalees here had taken out a rally in favour of the Gujarat Chief Minister.
