Quiet birthday for Kerala CM: PM, Gadkari, extend greetings

Team Udayavani, May 24, 2020, 2:29 PM IST

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday turned 75, but it was a quiet birthday for him as he continued with official work and COVID-19 related matters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, actor turned politician Kamal Haasan and Malayalam superstar Mohanlal greeted the Chief Minister.

In a tweet, Modi extended his birthday greetings to the Chief Minister, wishing him good health.

“Birthday wishes to Kerala CM Shri @vijayanpinarayi Ji on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and a long life,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

Gadkari also took to twitter to greet Vijayan.

“Birthday greetings to Chief Minister of Kerala Shri @vijayanpinarayiJi,” he said.

Mohanlal did likewise, tweeting “Birthday wishes to our Honourable Chief Minister, Shri @vijayanpinarayisir”.

Kamal Haasan took to Twitter and mentioned the CPI(M) leader’s speech at the Kerala Assembly in 1977, holding up his bloodstained shirt.

Vijayan, along with other party leaders, was arrested and taken into custody on September 28, 1975 during the Emergency and reportedly beaten up.

Upon his release two years later, Vijayan rushed to the state legislative assembly with his bloodied shirt from that day and spoke against the state’s “excesses.”

“Then, he created a storm by talking with a bloodstained shirt. Now he has made his state the object of adulation in the country.
The CM of Kerala emphasised our bond, calling us brothers, keeping the borders open. Our Heartfelt birthday wishes to our comrade @vijayanpinarayi,” Kamal Haasan tweeted.

Meanwhile, a senior official at the Chief Minister’s Office said Vijayan continued with official work and evaluating the COVID-19 situation

“Comrade has never held any celebrations on his birthday.

Today is no different.

He evaluated the COVID-19 situation and was checking office files at his residence, the Cliff House, here,” the official told PTI.