During the inauguration of the Vizhinjam port in Left-ruled Kerala, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a subtle swipe at the CPI(M) for its long-standing opposition to private investment. Speaking in the presence of industrialist Gautam Adani, Modi commended the rapid completion of the port by the Adani group. He humorously remarked that if people in Gujarat learned that Adani had built such a remarkable port in Kerala, despite working on ports in Gujarat for over 30 years, they might be upset. He also made a pointed remark to Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, acknowledging his role as a strong pillar of the INDI Alliance.
Conceived in 1991, the port project faced hurdles, including public protests, natural disasters, failed bids, and material shortages.
It wasn’t until 2015 that Adani Ports was awarded the contract, finally making the long-awaited vision a reality.
The PM humoured Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, suggesting that the event would likely cause many political figures to lose sleep.
Adani Ports and SEZ Limited is managing the Rs 8,800-crore Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport under the design, build, finance, operate, and transfer model.
Ten years ago, when the Congress-led government struck the deal with the Adani group, the CPI(M), then in opposition, had labeled it a Rs 6,000 crore land scam.
However, at the port’s inauguration, CPI(M) leader and state Port Minister V N Vasavan had a surprising shift in tone, referring to Adani as “our partner Adani.”
Responding to the PM, AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said that “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. We will relentlessly pressure you to set a timeline for the caste census, remove the 50% cap on reservation, and finally deliver the strong, decisive response that Pakistan so rightly deserves,” was quoted as saying.
The Vizhinjam port should reduce India’s reliance on overseas transshipment hubs like Colombo, Dubai, and Singapore, which currently handle 75% of the country’s transshipment cargo.
Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hailed the port’s commissioning as “Kerala’s dream come true,” lauding the state’s efforts in bringing the project to fruition after decades of uncertainty.
