Chief Minister lashes out at Centre for denying Veena George permission to travel to Kuwait

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said it was inappropriate for the central government to deny permission to Health Minister Veena George to go to the disaster site in Kuwait. The Chief Minister said this after inaugurating the fourth session of the Loka Kerala Sabha.

"A state has nothing special to do in another country. It is the Centre that can do anything. However, a good number of people living in Kuwait are Keralites. Hence, the Health Minister would have been able to convey the exact problems to the central government. The Health Minister reached outside the airport. However, she was not able to go beyond that. She went to the airport hoping that she would get clearance from the Centre. However, she got a negative response from the Centre. It is said that some people told her that they had done everything there and that there was nothing that she could do there. Kerala and Malayalis have a common way and culture. If the Health Minister had gone there, she would have been able to know the details of the injured people and deal with what the Malayali community there has to say. The Kuwaiti government intervened effectively in the matter. The central government moved the matter through the embassy. All necessary precautions should be taken to prevent such tragedies from recurring," the CM said.

"Was there any lapse in safety arrangements? If there was a lapse, who is responsible for it? There should be a serious follow-up on the matter. Adequate compensation should be ensured to the families of the deceased. The central government should speed up the process by keeping in touch with Kuwait," he added.