Thiruvananthapuram, April 20 (IANS) Kerala Labour Minister Shibu Baby John came under fire Saturday for meeting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to study the success of the Gujarat model of development.
John had met Modi in Ahmedabad Thursday.
The Left opposition in Kerala and the Congress flayed John for meeting Modi.
Leader of Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan asked whether John's meeting had been cleared by the Oommen Chandy government.
"This is the third time that Modi has become the chief minister. Drinking water is not available in many villages of Gujarat. Poverty is rampant there. Is this Gujarat's model of development? An inquiry should be conducted into what transpired and how the meeting took place," said Achuthanandan.
A defensive Chandy said: "I was not aware of the meeting. With the media reporting it, I have asked John about it. We do not support the Gujarat model of development."
An embarrassed John said: "My only intention was to understand what was happening in Gujarat. I now realise that I should not have met Modi."
John is the lone legislator from the Revolutionary Socialist Party (B).
Modi is scheduled to visit Kerala April 24 to attend an event at Sivagiri Mutt, the abode of social reformer, the late Sree Narayana Guru.
Achuthanandan, who is also an invitee to one of the events at the mutt, said he would not attend since Modi has also been invited.
