Flood-hit Kerala only state not to get aid
State has taken a stringent position on citizenship law.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala has accused the BJP government at the Centre of political vendetta in declining financial assistance for calamities.
The High Level Committee meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday had approved additional Central assistance of Rs 5,908.56 cr to seven states from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
The allocation was announced for Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kar-nataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh for floods, landslides and cloud burst during 2019 south west monsoon. Though Kerala government had sent a letter in September seeking assistance of Rs 2,101 cr from the Centre for devastation caused during last year’s floods, there was no response.
Now, the state has been left out much to the annoyance of the ruling Left Front.
LDF convenor A. Vijayaraghavan accused the Union home minister of nursing political animosity against Kerala. The back to back floods had caused huge devastation in the state.
The total loss during the devastating floods in 2018, the worst in a century, was estimated to be over `30,000 crore.
“The denial of funds to Kerala amounts to political vendetta and denial of justice. The Centre’s decision cannot be justified in any manner,” he added.
It is clear that Amit Shah was prompted by political hostility against Kerala. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the flood affected areas in the state in 2018 but stopped short of providing any assistance to the affected people. The political discrimination continues, Vijayaraghan alleged.
It may be recalled that Kerala was left out when interim financial assistance of `3,200 announced earlier.
Many believe that the strident position taken by the CPM led government against Modi regime’s policies had not been taken lightly by the Centre. Even on the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act, Kerala was the only state to pass a resolution in State Assembly demanding the scrapping of the new law.