Row over Shah's landing in yet-to-be-opened Kannur airport
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 28: A controversy has erupted over BJP President Amit Shah landing in the yet to be opened Kannur airport, with a Kerala Minister slamming him Sunday for threatening to oust the LDF government despite it allowing him to arrive there as part of state's 'tradition of hospitality.'
State Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac tweeted that though the state had shown the 'tradition of hospitality' by permitting Shah to land in the airport, which had not been formally inaugurated, the BJP leader had threatened to oust the left ruled Kerala government.
The official inauguration of the Kannur airport, the fourth in the state, is scheduled to be held on December 9.
But, by arriving in a special flight there yesterday to inaugurate the BJP's new district committee office, Shah has unofficially become the first passenger to land in the airport at Mattanur in Kannur.
Isaac said shah's "empty threats" were out of frustration as the saffron party is yet to get more members in the state Assembly.
Former Union minister, O Rajagopal, is the lone MLA of the BJP in the house.
"Amit Shah permitted to land in Kannur airport which is yet to be opened. That is our tradition of hospitality. But he is threatening to oust Kerala government.
Such empty threats do not frighten us. Try to win few seats in Assembly. Your frustration is understandable," Isaac tweeted.
Hundreds of party workers had gathered Saturday at the airport to welcome Shah who was in Kerala on a day's visit.
After inaugurating the party office located at Thalikkavu, he had made a scathing attack on the CPI(M)-led LDF government in the state over the Sabarimala women's entry issue and pledged BJP's support for it.
Main opposition Congress took on the LDF government for allowing the BJP Chief to use the airport.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, Mullappally Ramachandran alleged that Shah landed at the airport following an 'understanding' between him and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
"At a time when the Kannur airport is scheduled to be inaugurated on December 9, it was specially opened for Amit Shah. Usually, it is done so during emergency situations," he said in a statement.
Amit Shah had arrived in Kannur Saturday on a day's visit to Kerala to attend a party function in that city and the 90th Mahasamadhi observance of saint social reformer Sree Narayana Guru at Varkala near Thiruvananthapuram.
Later, in a hard-hitting speech, Shah had warned Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan that he would have to pay a "heavy price" if the (attack on Ayyappa devotees) continues, as BJP workers "would not hesitate to pull down the government."
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
