Youth leaving Kerala due to lack of factories: CPI leader C Divakaran

Senior CPI leader and former minister C Divakaran on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the LDF government, blaming it for Kerala’s lack of factories and manufacturing centres, which he said has forced the State’s youth to migrate abroad in search of jobs.

Divakaran’s remarks come days after his controversial comments about Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s food preferences, once again putting the ruling front in an uncomfortable spot.

Advertisement

Speaking on the absence of industrial development, Divakaran said, “There is no dried ginger or lime here” (‘Evide oru chukkum chunnambum illa’), a phrase often used in Malayalam to indicate a lack of substance. He argued that Kerala has failed to create a strong manufacturing base despite decades of governance.

“Compared to India, Kerala is like a small panchayat. There is no heavy industry here. There is no production or manufacturing centre. Are cars, motorbikes or heavy machinery manufactured in Kerala? Even after all these years, there is not a single factory,” he said.

Linking unemployment to migration, Divakaran added, “That is why young people somehow manage to get passports, pay money and leave the country. Shouldn’t the government bring factories and construction projects to Kerala?”

His statement reflects growing criticism that the government has failed to address youth unemployment, leading to large-scale migration to foreign countries.

Earlier on Monday, in an interview to a local newspaper, Divakaran had stirred controversy by claiming that ordinary fish was “not good enough” for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and that the Chief Minister preferred “A-quality, first-class fish”.

He alleged that Vijayan once left without eating lunch at the residence of late CPM leader Anathalavattom Anandan because he did not like the type of fish served.

However, Divakaran later said that local leaders were asked to arrange “good quality fish” the next day. “Lunch was served and fish fry was among the items. He (Vijayan) examined the fish, ate it and was very happy,” Divakaran said.

The CPI leader also claimed that Vijayan did not like Ananthalavattom Anandan because of the latter’s close relationship with veteran CPM leader VS Achuthanandan, at a time when intense factional rivalry existed between Pinarayi Vijayan and VS within the party.