Modi's guarantee: Those who stole Ayyappa's gold will be sent to jail

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that if the BJP comes to power in Kerala, those who stole the gold of Lord Ayyappa from Sabarimala will be sent to jail. He said this was “Modi’s guarantee.” The Prime Minister made the statement while addressing a gathering at Putharikandam Maidan, where the BJP celebrated its first-ever victory in urban local body governance in Kerala and also launched its Assembly election campaign.

Modi said Thiruvananthapuram, which gave the BJP a historic victory, will be developed as a model city for the country with full support from the central government. He said the victory in the capital city shows that people have begun to trust the BJP and added that change will come to Kerala just as it did in West Bengal and Tripura.

He criticised the Left government for rejecting the PM SHRI scheme, saying it denied poor children the opportunity to study in better schools. Modi said both political fronts in Kerala follow the same style, marked by “100 per cent corruption and communalism, and zero transparency and development.”

Attacking the Congress, Modi said the party is no longer what it once was and claimed that the AICC had turned into what he described as a “Muslim Maoist Congress.” He alleged that the party showed greater communalism than the Muslim League and greater anarchy than the Maoists, and urged people to be cautious.

• The Prime Minister began his speech in Malayalam by greeting the crowd as “My dear friends.” A moment that drew attention was when he asked SPG personnel to take a drawing held up by a child in the audience.
• He hugged Mayor V V Rajesh, calling him a friend, and congratulated him. Deputy Mayor G S Ashanath paid respects by touching the Prime Minister’s feet.
• Modi began his speech by remembering social reformers Sree Narayana Guru, Mannathu Padmanabhan, Ayyankali, and Pandit Karuppan.
• Governor R V Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna, Union Minister George Kurian, State Minister M B Rajesh, and Mayor V V Rajesh attended the official function.
• At the party event, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, NDA Convener Thushar Vellappally, and Mayor V V Rajesh presented idols of Lord Ayyappa, Dharma Sastha, and Sree Padmanabha, respectively, to the Prime Minister.

Grand reception for Modi
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi received a grand welcome during his roadshow in Thiruvananthapuram. Large crowds lined both sides of the road, showering flowers as his convoy passed. Modi said the capital city would be developed into a hub of science, innovation, healthcare, and startups. Standing by the open door of his vehicle, he waved to people gathered along the route from the airport to East Fort.

Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, senior police and military officials, and the district collector were among 22 people who received the Prime Minister at the airport. BJP workers organised traditional drum performances, Kathakali displays, Theyyam, and flower decorations to welcome him. From SMV School to East Fort, people gathered in large numbers, even standing on rooftops and shop fronts. Paper shots were fired along with flower showers, and BJP supporters waved flags and raised slogans. After returning to Chennai, the Prime Minister shared a video of the Thiruvananthapuram reception on the social media platform X.