Kerala Ockhi relief fund: Jacob Thomas and Thomas Isaac engage in ping-pong battle on Facebook

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Close on the heels of his suspension from service for criticising the government, DGP Jacob Thomas has hit back. In a sarcastic post on his Facebook page, he questioned the government’s assessment for the Ockhi package. The post is on funds to be mobilised for the relief package for families affected by the cyclone. However, Finance Minister Thomas Isaac immediately posted a reply on his Facebook page, defending the government.

In a specially designed post with the headline ‘Padam-1 Kanakkile Kalikal’ (Lesson-1 Fiddling with Figures), Thomas made fun of the government’s assessment by pointing out lapses in the relief measures.
The post has a detailed list of the cyclone affected and the corresponding expenses being calculated.
The post:
    Casualties 100 - Compensation
    Rs 100 crore
    Injured 100 - Compensation Rs 50 crore 
    Missing 250 (counting still on) - Compensation Rs 250 crore 
     Fishermen who lost nets and boats 100 - Compensation Rs 200 crore
    Warning system expenditure- Rs 50 crore 
    Other expenses - Rs 50 crore 
Total amount needed - Rs 700 crore 
What the government asked from the Union government: Rs 7,000 crore !!!
Do the figures match!!!

Can take advise from a Maths teacher..... 
Thus goes the post by Jacob Thomas.
The post indirectly criticises the government’s miscalculation in spending money for the relief measures and its urgency to get funds to the tune of Rs 7,000 crore from the Centre. However, the post went viral on social media and garnered positive as well as negative feedback.
Soon after, Thomas Isaac responded to the post. The finance minister advised the bureaucrat to look for a good maths teacher instead.

In his Facebook post, Isaac said:
“The DGP has a long way to go to learn about a socially committed government. He has only a little awareness about details of the package the state has sought from the Centre. Rs 700 crore is imaginary statistics by Jacob Thomas. The government has made arrangements for compensation to be given to the affected families. Our government has asked (for) a comprehensive package from the Centre. It also involves the rehabilitation and revamping of fisherfolk hamlets in the state,” Isaac said.Issac also advised the DGP to come to a conclusion after studying the matter precisely and not to limit himself to only ‘Lesson 1’.