THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to uphold the principles of cooperative federalism, following the denial of political clearance by the Centre for Kerala's Health Minister Veena George to visit victims of a fire accident in Kuwait. He implied that had the Centre given clearance without any political bias, the state minister could have provided essential liaison with authorities and offered solace to the victims' families.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan described the situation as unfortunate and emphasised that raising the issue was necessary despite their reluctance to create controversy during such distressing times. He highlighted that the state cabinet's collective decision had been disregarded, stressing that the circumstances warranted prompt consideration under the cooperative federalism framework, where states and the Union collaborate equally in development and disaster response efforts.
The Chief Minister underscored that political or other extraneous factors should not hinder the issuance of political clearances in critical situations, noting that the request was made in accordance with the cabinet secretariat's guidelines.
The tragic fire in Kuwait claimed 49 lives, including 24 from Kerala, prompting the Kerala government to convene a special cabinet meeting to facilitate relief efforts and dispatch Minister Veena George. However, her journey was halted at the Cochin International Airport due to the Centre's failure to respond to the sanction request.