THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : CPI(M) Convener A Vijayaraghavan slammed the Centre for its vengeful attitude towards the state. Refusing to grant flood assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) is an act of political revenge, said the Left leader.
Rs 5,908 crore is being shelled out to seven states in flood relief, while Kerala which was battered the most by floods, has been excluded for the benefit. This is gross injustice , said Vijayaraghavan. Home Minister Amit Shah helmed the meeting that decided to exclude Kerala from the list of beneficiary states. Shah is apparently motivated by the acute political enmity against the State, he added.
In 2018, when Kerala was hit by record floods, Centre acted in similar manner. Top leaders, including the Prime Minister toured the submerged state, he did not respond to fund requirements to rehabilitate the victims. The present denial is a continuation of that discriminatory attitude. At that time, not only did Centre refuse aid, but also blocked UAE form granting relief, Vijayaraghavan said.
Kerala had asked for Rs 2109 crore in emergency aid. The Centre however chooses to suffocate the state that is struggling to rebuild itself. The Centre also refused the state’s demand to raise borrowing limits. It is time the Centre stopped meting out such discrimination and gross injustice to the State, Vijayaraghavan said.
Shah's Highhandedness
The High Level Committee chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah approved central assistance of RS 5908.56 crore to seven States, most of which are ruled by BJP. The aid figures at Rs 616.63 crore to Assam, Rs 284.93 crore to Himachal Pradesh, Rs 1869.85 crore to Karnataka, Rs 1749.73 crore to Madhya Pradesh, Rs 956.93 crore to Maharashtra, Rs 63.32 to Tripura and Rs 367.17 crore to Uttar Pradesh for floods/ landslides/cloudburst during south west monsoon 2019.
