Kerala CM Pinarayi Seen Shuffling Through Papers And Reading Out Readymade Answers At India Today Conclave

A few days ago at the inaugural event of the India Today South Conclave 2023, Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister of Kerala, resorted to reading out pre-prepared answers from a set of papers during an interview.

During the interview, the India Today interviewer posed a series of questions regarding Kerala’s infrastructure sector, attracting mega investments and businesses to the state, promoting the service sector, improving employment opportunities, and the possibility of preventing a brain drain by providing suitable jobs for the state’s residents.

Rather than providing spontaneous responses, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan began shuffling through a stack of papers in his possession as the questions were being asked. Once the interviewer concluded, he proceeded to read from one of the papers, stating, “We have the coast on one side and hills on the other. In between, there is plenty of wetland and forest land as well. With 44 rivers, only about 35% of the overall area of Kerala is available for people’s use.”
Continuing with the scripted answers, Pinarayi Vijayan mentioned the “Year of the Enterprises” scheme, emphasizing its significance and its impact on the industrial and employment sectors. He highlighted Kerala’s strides in various fields such as IT, BT, electronics, tourism, and healthcare, stating that these efforts are aimed at transforming Kerala into a knowledge economy and an innovative society.

The highlight of this session was the Chief Minister’s reliance on prepared notes to address questions on crucial matters related to Kerala’s development. Some observers argue that it raises doubts about Pinarayi Vijayan’s ability to lead effectively, especially considering his extensive experience and his current position as Chief Minister for a second consecutive term. There arises a question of whether his reliance on notes reflects a lack of in-depth knowledge or a failure to grasp the complexities of the issues at hand.

While speakers may resort to teleprompters or notes on occasion, the sight of a leader relying heavily on readymade notes to respond to interview questions surely raises doubts about his knowledge of his own state and his leadership capabilities.

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