Assembly unanimously adopts resolution demanding Centre urgently release aid for Wayanad

Congress legislator T. Siddique expresses regret that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the disaster area had raised hope of substantial and immediate assistance but to no avail. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan says Centre has not released emergency aid for Wayanad

The Kerala Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Centre to release mandatory aid for the landslides-hit Wayanad district immediately.

The resolution also stressed the need to write off the loans availed by the landslides victims. The Assembly sought the Centre’s urgent intervention to persuade the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to write off the debt. 

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M.B. Rajesh moved the resolution ahead of an adjournment debate on the subject.

Congress legislator T. Siddique, who moved the adjournment motion, expressed regret that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the disaster area had raised hope of substantial and immediate assistance but to no avail. He expressed regret that Mr. Modi’s visit was merely a photo opportunity.

Mr. Siddique also claimed that the State government’s search and rescue operations in the disaster zone had petered after Mr. Modi’s visit. 

Revenue Minister K. Rajan clarified that the search and rescue operations for missing persons were still ongoing.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Centre had not released emergency aid for Wayanad. Mr. Vijayan said the Centre had disbursed substantial aid to other States where disasters of a lesser nature had struck. However, the Centre was yet to accord Kerala the same consideration.

Mr. Vijayan said he had met Mr. Modi and requested urgent aid release. The government followed up the meeting with several petitions but to no avail. The government prepared a memorandum for aid as per Central norms and submitted it to the Union government. Kerala’s special representative in New Delhi K.V. Thomas had directly raised the State’s request with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Kerala High Court had also intervened in the matter. 

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the inordinate delay in disbursing aid testified to the Centre’s wilful neglect of Kerala. The Centre’s “apathy” was an insult to the State.

Mr. Satheesan said disaster aid was not the Centre’s charity but the right of provincial governments. States remit the lion’s share of taxes to the Union government. “There should be reciprocity in a federal system,” he added. 

BJP slams LDF, UDF

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president K. Surendran said the ruling front and the Opposition had used the Assembly to spread lies, malign the Central government, and shirk responsibility for shoddy rehabilitation work in Wayanad. He said the Centre had disbursed aid to the State.

He added that the ruling front and the Opposition were in cahoots to denigrate the Centre. 

BJP workers erected hoardings near the Chief Minister’s official residence, Cliff House, and Mr. Satheesan’s official residence, Cantonment House, portraying both leaders as political bedfellows. 

Published - October 14, 2024 07:36 pm IST