PM mixes Kochi with Karachi in speech, says mind preoccupied with Pakistan these days

At a time when the nationalist rhetoric is at an all-time high in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot seem to throw Pakistan off his mind. PM Modi himself said so.

While attending a rally in Gujarat's Jamnagar on Monday, Modi began talking about the 'Ayushman Bharat' healthcare scheme. In the course of the speech, when explaining who all can avail of the benefits the scheme offers and where, the PM said it is extended to every person residing between Kolkata and Karachi.

He said: "Under the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, if a resident of Jamangar has gone to Bhopal, and happens to fall ill, he/she need not come back to Jamnagar for treatment. If the person shows their (Ayushman Bharat) beneficiary card, they will get free treatment anywhere in the country, be it Kolkata or Karachi."

Quickly rectifying his mistake, he said it is a slip of tongue, and clarified that he wanted to say Kochi, not Karachi. The PM also clarified that the ambit of the scheme is not so large after all and that the slip happened only because he cannot seem to get Karachi off his mind. "Nowadays my mind is preoccupied with the situation with our neighbouring country," he added.

Apart from campaigning for his party, PM Modi is also having to cope with heightened tension with Pakistan for the past two weeks.

In fact, the PM clarified, that he is being constantly briefed about the security situation at the frontiers, the future course of action, etc, especially with regards to the ongoing skirmishes with Pakistan.

With PTI inputs