Kerala asks Modi govt to relax rule, accept UAE offer

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A ₹700 crore offer by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to aid Kerala acquired political undertones on Wednesday as parties in the flood-ravaged state came together to urge the Centre to relax a current policy that bars bilateral financial assistance for rescue and relief operations.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said he will talk to the Prime Minister on the issue. “Our people contributed immensely in building that nation (UAE) so it cannot be considered as a different country. There is a strong emotional boding between two nations,” he tweeted.

The Congress, too, urged the Centre to reconsider, saying rejecting the aid will send the wrong signal to the country where more than 600,000 Indians are employed. Former chief minister and Congress leader Oommen Chandy said he wrote to the PM urging him to amend the rules. “If there is an obstacle in accepting aid from foreign countries it has to be amended. The state needs it most now,” he said in the letter

The CPI(M) also asked the Centre not to “cling on to technicalities”. “Rules are there to be changed. If somebody commits a mistake it doesn’t mean others should also do it. Battered badly, the state needs such assistance...,” said RS Ramachandran Pillai, a politburo member.

The central government has already announced ₹600 crore in aid, and also assured relief materials including food grain, medicines would be provided, as requested.