Chief Minister hits out at Centre for denying financial aid for Wayanad

He said the State government would ensure proper rehabilitation of people affected by the calamity

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has lashed out at the Centre for delaying financial assistance for the rehabilitation process in the landslides-hit Wayanad district.

Inaugurating the CPI (M) area committee office at Kanjikuzhy in Alappuzha on Friday (November 15, 2024), Mr. Vijayan asked whether Kerala was outside India. “When the disaster struck, the Prime Minister visited Wayanad. We hoped he would help and extend support. The State government submitted all necessary documents to the Centre. A Central team visited the affected areas. The Union Finance Minister also came and promised assistance. We expected the Centre to declare the Wayanad disaster a national calamity. But that did not happen,” Mr. Vijayan said.

The Chief Minister said that the State government had earmarked a specific amount for disaster relief efforts, which was the responsibility of States and a standard procedure. “Can this be a reason to deny Central assistance? After Wayanad, several other States affected by natural disasters were provided aid. That is commendable. The Centre should also provide aid to Kerala. We are part of India,” Mr. Vijayan said.

He said the State government would ensure proper rehabilitation of people affected by the calamity.

Mr. Vijayan voiced his support for CPI (M) leader E.P. Jayarajan amidst the controversy surrounding the latter’s autobiography.

The Chief Minister said that Mr. Jayarajan clarified that he had not intended to write about any of the contentious topics being discussed in the media. “He assured us that none of it is present in the portions written so far,” the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Vijayan addressed media reports claiming that Mr. Jayarajan’s autobiography contained negative remarks about Left Democratic Front candidate P. Sarin in the Palakkad Assembly constituency. “We asked Jayarajan if he knew Sarin. He said he had not known him earlier and confirmed that there is nothing about Sarin in the book. Certain people are deliberately trying to create controversies,” the Chief Minister said.

He also referenced Mr. Jayarajan’s meeting with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Prakash Javadekar, which surfaced on the day of the Lok Sabha elections. “The meeting between Jayarajan and Javadekar took place more than a year and a half ago, but the news was deliberately highlighted on election day. Similarly, the controversy about Jayarajan’s autobiography surfaced on the day of by-elections. These incidents point to a deliberate agenda aimed at helping the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP,” Mr. Vijayan said.

Published - November 15, 2024 09:03 pm IST