New Delhi: Unabashedly justifying the announcements in the Union Budget which turned a blind eye to the matters concerning Kerala, and declining allegations because of it, Union Minister Suresh Gopi said that the budget would benefit the youth and women of Kerala. “There are employment opportunities. Are there no youths, women, and fisheries in Kerala?” the minister asked.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday, he assured that AIIMS would be established. “Check the facts. You need to study the budget before asking questions. Let the opposition criticize the government. AIIMS will come, for sure. But, Kerala government needs to provide sufficient land for the project,” he emphasized.
When reporters mentioned that the Kerala government had already acquired 150 acres of land in Kinalur, Kozhikode, he questioned whether that would be adequate for AIIMS.
There was hope that AIIMS, a long-standing need for Kerala, would be addressed this time, but it didn’t happen. Earlier, Suresh Gopi had refrained from commenting on budget-related issues when asked.