V D Satheesan questions basis of Shashi Tharoor article praising Kerala’s entrepreneurial growth

Malappuram(Kerala), Feb 15 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday questioned the basis for Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s recent article in an English daily praising the entrepreneurial growth in Kerala under the LDF government.

Tharoor in his article had also said that Kerala was well positioned to continue leading India’s tech and entrepreneurial transformation.

On Saturday, speaking to reporters at Perinthalmanna here, Satheesan said neither he nor the party knows what were the circumstances or statistics based on which the Congress MP wrote the article.

“The party can examine the circumstances or the statistics based on which he wrote it,” he said.

On the other hand, Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeeve supported Tharoor’s article, saying that the Congress MP always talks based on facts.

Rejecting what Tharoor said about the industrial sector in Kerala, Satheesan claimed that the state did not have a good industrial environment.

“It needs to improve. We want it to improve,” he said.

The opposition leader further said that he had recently questioned Rajeeve’s claim that in the last three-and-a-half years, three lakh new enterprises were started in Kerala.

“If that was true, I asked him which were these 3 lakh new enterprises as there has to be a minimum of 2,000 such entities in every assembly constituency.

“Are there 2,000 such enterprises in Perinthalmanna? How about 500?” Satheesan asked.

He further said that small bakeries, garment shops or roadside stalls set up by Malayalees returning from abroad should not be counted as industrial enterprises in Kerala.

“So, we do not agree with the state government’s claim,” he said.

He said that the opposition was willing to help in establishing an excellent industrial environment in the state.

Responding to Tharoor’s article, Rajeeve said that the Congress MP’s praise was for the state as a whole and not just the Left government or the chief minister.

“The opposition too can claim a share of that praise as a lot of developmental and entrepreneurial work has taken place in their constituencies,” he said.

He further said that Tharoor’s article only indicated his interest for the state being a Malayalee and an MP from Kerala.

The minister also said that the state has received various accolades for its achievements in the industrial and entrepreneurial fields which have been acknowledged by everyone.

“The acknowledgements are meant for the entire state and not just the CPI(M) and the LDF. We should all work together to strengthen these fields. Some are forgetting to do so due to their narrow political mindsets. Hopefully they will change their stand,” Rajeeve said.