Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has expressed concern over the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) decision to deny political clearance for a state minister's visit to Kuwait. This visit was intended to oversee relief measures following a devastating fire in an apartment that resulted in the death of 49 people, including 46 Indians, 23 of whom were from Kerala.
The tragic incident occurred on June 12 in the Mangaf camp in Kuwait. In response, the Kerala state cabinet decided on June 13 to send Health Minister Veena George to Kuwait to coordinate relief efforts for the affected families.
The state government then sought political clearance from the MEA for her travel. However, the clearance was not granted, forcing Minister George to abandon her plans at the last minute while at Cochin International Airport.
In a letter dated June 15 and made public recently, Chief Minister Vijayan addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting his discontent with the MEA’s lack of response. He emphasized that this disregard for the state cabinet's collective decision undermines the principles of cooperative federalism, where both the Union and state governments are partners in development and disaster mitigation efforts.
Vijayan underscored that the Kerala government would be remiss if it did not bring this issue to the Prime Minister's attention. He argued that the situation called for urgent and exceptional measures, and the MEA’s non-consideration of the request could hinder effective disaster response and support for citizens in distress.
Vijayan called for the MEA to be more responsive to such requests in the future, emphasizing that goodwill and cooperation between Union and state governments are essential for fostering a healthy federal relationship.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh visited the Mangaf camp in Kuwait on the day of the incident, providing a stark contrast to Minister George's aborted mission.
The denial of clearance has sparked criticism from various quarters, including senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan. He labelled the Centre’s move as misguided, noting that George’s presence in Kuwait could have aided the victims’ families and the injured.
On June 14, the bodies of the deceased Indians arrived at Cochin International Airport in Kerala and were transported to their respective homes.