AMN / NEW DELHI
The Communist Party of India, CPI has strongly condemned the BJP government’s move stalling the UAE government offer of Rs 700 crore to flood-hit Kerala.
“It is very strange to find the Narendra Modi government of taking a tradition practised for mere 15 years to stall the offer to Kerala which needs every pie from all quarters to rehabilitate, protect and rebuild the ravaged state. It is really a matter of shame for Modi who had received foreign money as the chief minister of Gujarat, when the state was hit by earthquake less than two decades ago, to deny the same relief to Kerala in the name of some ticklish tradition”, party said in a statement. It said that UPA government has given an assurance for special status to Andhra Pradesh, why NDA government is not honouring it? This is only a pretext. This is a false prestige as UAE offered more than union government.
The Party also wants to point out that the National Disaster Management Plan, brought out by the Central government in May 2016, does state clearly that any voluntary offer of assistance from other countries can be accepted.
The Modi government which has a special love for bringing in Ordinances can do so in this case also if it needs such legal sanction for a humanitarian cause.
The Party urged upon the Modi government to give up the misplaced sense of pride in the face of a calamity. The Party urges the Modi government to facilitate the state government to receive international offers of all kinds of help — financial or technical— so that Kerala bounces back quickly to normalcy.
Meanwhile CPI(M) General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury has written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, on the need to enhance the central assistance given to flood ravaged Kerala as also the other measures that need to be taken.
“People of India were glad that you visited and surveyed the damage. You appreciated the fact that the state government and the authorities there have done a tremendous job of rescuing over ten lakh marooned people. This is a rescue operation of an unprecedented dimension in the recent times. You have sanctioned Rs. 500 crores of central assistance, but this is grossly inadequate in the light of the extensive damage that has been caused. I would request you to increase this amount to Rs. 2000 crores and urge you to respond positively given the urgency that is warranted” Yechury said in the letter.