LDF, UDF slam Central delay in Wayanad disaster relief

The ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front and the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front on Friday slammed the Union government for the delay in releasing special assistance to Kerala to cover the expenses of the rehabilitation process in the landslides-ravaged regions in Wayanad district.

Ministers for Finance and Revenue, K.N. Balagopal and K. Rajan, condemned the delay, even as Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan announced that the UDF MPs will register their protest against the Centre’s neglect in Parliament.

The Centre’s stand reflects extreme prejudice which lacks any justification, Mr. Balagopal said. The Centre should explain the reason for its “vindictive attitude towards Keralites.” The situation is such that the Centre needs to be reminded on a daily basis that Kerala is part of India, he said.

The July 30 Wayanad landslides had claimed more than 400 lives. Kerala was being denied assistance when the Centre had reserved huge allocations for States that had experienced calamities of a much lesser degree, Mr. Balagopal said.

Mr. Rajan registered his strong protest against the Centre’s approach to the State’s plea for assistance. The State was exercising its right, and not seeking charity, Mr. Rajan said. In adopting such a stance, the Union government was deceiving the people, he said.

Mr. Satheesan described it as shocking that the BJP government at the Centre refused to release funds to Kerala despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to disaster-hit Wayanad. “The BJP government is behaving as if Kerala is not present on India’s map. Disaster relief for Wayanad is the State’s right,” he said.

He termed the Centre’s claims regarding State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) funds as misleading.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Sudhakaran, MP, said the Centre’s stand was tantamount to betraying the people. He urged the Centre not to indulge in political games with people’s sorrow and misery.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the Centre was playing low-level politics on the Wayanad disaster relief issue. The Centre’s stand was totally unfair to the people of Wayanad, he said, demanding the Centre to release special assistance and announce a special package for Wayanad.

On Thursday, Nityanand Rai, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, had informed K.V. Thomas, Kerala’s special representative in New Delhi, that sufficient funds were available in the SDRF for the relief operations, and that there was no provision to declare any calamity as a national disaster under the prevailing SDRF or NDRF (National Disaster Relief Fund) guidelines.

Published - November 15, 2024 08:08 pm IST