The Aryavarth Express
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): Days after Home Minister Amit Shah said the Kerala government could have minimized the losses in Wayanad if they had become alert, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) state secretory MV Govindan condemned his statement and said it is politically motivated.
Addressing a press conference, CPM state secretary MV Govindan said, “Amit Shah’s statement was politically motivated. Such reactions will not help anyone at a time when we need to work together. The culture of Kerala is to stand united on common issues of the country.”
Adding to it further, he said, “The central government had issued an orange alert for the affected area. However, the rainfall was much heavier than predicted. There was no red alert before the disaster occurred; it was declared only after the disaster. The landslide warning from the Geological Survey of India was green. Now, the disaster has occurred 7 kilometers away from the place where people were relocated according to the warning.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the Kerala government could have minimized the losses in Wayanad if they had become alert after the Central government’s warning about potential landslides and the risk to people’s lives.
He added that irrespective of the party politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government will stand with the people of Kerala.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha Union Minister Shah said, “Early warning was given, that is why on July 23, we sent 9 teams of NDRF and three more were sent yesterday. Had they become alert the day the NDRF teams landed, a lot could have been saved. But this is the time to stand with the government and the people of Kerala. Irrespective of the party politics, the Narendra Modi government will stand with the people of Kerala.”
MV Govindan further reacted to the BJP MP Tejasvi Surya’s remarks of “man-made disaster” and said, “Spreading blatant lies to propagate narrow politics is the policy of the RSS.”
Govindan further informed about the CMDRF contributions and said, “The party units from Tripura and Tamil Nadu have each donated Rs 10 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF). The CPI(M) Kerala unit has contributed Rs 25 lakh.”
He further informed, “The Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF) is subject to CAG audit, which reviews all income and expenditure accounts.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Friday confirmed 308 deaths in the multiple landslides that hit Wayanad on July 30.
The rescue and relief operations are underway in Chooralmala and Mundakkai in the Meppadi region where the landslides wreaked havoc.
Minister George said that 195 bodies and 113 body parts have been recovered so far.
The Indian Army earlier today handed over the 190-feet Bailey Bridge to the civil administration which was built over the Iruvanjippuzha river connecting the regions Chooralmala and Mundakkai, isolated by the landslides.
