Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the presence of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor at the commissioning of the Vizhinjam International Seaport will give “sleepless nights” to the opposition INDIA bloc.
The remark, apparently made half in jest, along with an observation in a similar vein about a communist leader calling a conglomerate a partner, sparked a sharp reaction from the Congress, which said the PM was fixating on the opposition leaders days after the country faced a terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
Addressing the gathering at the inauguration of the port, developed by the Gautam Adani-led group, the Prime Minister also described Vijayan as a “pillar” of the Opposition bloc.
“I would like to say to our chief minister, you are a big and strong pillar of the INDI Alliance. Shashi Tharoor is also sitting here, and I would like to say that today’s event will give sleepless nights to several people,” Modi said.
However, the person translating his speech did not translate it properly, prompting Modi to say: “The message has gone across to whom it was meant.”
While Vijayan’s party CPI(M) and Tharoor’s Congress are partners of the INDIA bloc nationally, the two parties contest state elections as part of the rival LDF and UDF alliances.
The Congress hit back at the Prime Minister.
Cpngress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said in a post on X, “Even after the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, our PM remains fixated on disturbing the sleep of opposition leaders instead of confronting the real threat — Pakistan”.
“But rest assured, PM, while you’re busy with your distractions, our sleepless nights will be spent holding you accountable,” Venugopal said.
Tharoor, who missed the Congress Working Committee meeting in Delhi for the seaport inauguration, received Modi on his arrival on Thursday. “Despite delays at the dysfunctional Delhi airport, managed to land in Thiruvananthapuram in time to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival in my constituency. Looking forward to his officially commissioning Vizhinjam port, a project I have been proud to have been involved with since its inception,” he said in a post on X.
Earlier in March, Tharoor gave rise to speculations over his future in the Congress, when he praised the government’s handling of the Russia-Ukraine war as an endorsement of India’s deft diplomacy under Modi’s leadership.
At the commissioning of the port, the PM said — again in apparent jest — that industrialist Gautam Adani and his firm “should be ready to face the anger of the people of Gujarat”.
“When the people of Gujarat learn that Gautam Adani has built such a big port in Kerala… in Gujarat, he has been working in the port sector for over 30 years. But never he has built a port like this,” he said.
The PM also referred to a statement by Kerala ports minister VN Vasavan in which he called the Adani group a “partner” in the mega project.
“The ports minister referred to the Adani Group as a partner in his speech. A minister of a Communist government is saying the word, referring to the private sector. This is an example of changing India. Private-government partnership is crucial to the country’s development,” the PM said.
The PM, who landed in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday night, flew to Vizhinjam around 9.45am on Friday by chopper from the Pangode air force base. He went around the port facilities along with CM Vijayan, Kerala governor Rajendra Arlekar, MoS Suresh Gopi, MoS George Kurian and other state and central officials. He was given a demonstration of the port’s advanced features and operational capabilities by top officials before formally dedicating the port to the nation.
“Until now, 75% of the country’s transshipment needs were routed through other ports in the world. India was suffering losses in revenue through it. This situation will change now. The country’s money will be useful for it. The money that used to flow outside will now bring new economic opportunities for the people of Vizhinjam and Kerala,” the PM said at the event.
Vijayan said the long dream of the state and its people for a port in Vizhinjam has been realised. “It will become one of India’s most important ports and attract global attention,” the CM said, claiming that it was a state government owned project.
The country’s first semi-automated port, the first phase of the project in Vizhinjam was completed at a cost of ₹8,867 crore. Two-thirds of the project’s cost has been borne by the Kerala government — the highest such investment by a state in a port in the country — including for building the breakwaters, a critical part of the infrastructure that will ensure the ports operates smoothly in all kinds of weather.
Trial operations at the port began in July last year and commercial operations in December with the first mothership being invited. During the three-month trial phase, over 272 large vessels docked at the port and more than 550,000 containers were handled.