The CPI(M)-led Kerala government on Sunday accused the BJP-ruled Centre of political bias after it permitted Maharashtra to accept foreign contributions for disaster relief while denying similar requests from Kerala during its devastating 2018 floods.
Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal stated that the state welcomed the Centre’s approval for Maharashtra but called out what he described as “discriminatory treatment” between states.
“We support the decision to give permission to Maharashtra, but there shouldn’t be differential treatment towards states. It shows that centre sees the states differently and that is based on politics. It is not right for the administrators to show that their criteria is not the disaster but politics. This is not right for the relation between state and centre,” said Balagopal.
His remarks came after the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund was granted registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA), making it eligible to receive foreign aid.
This contrasts sharply with the Centre’s earlier refusal to allow Kerala to accept foreign assistance during the 2018 floods, despite offers from countries including the UAE.
Echoing Balagopal’s concerns, CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar also criticised the Centre, accusing it of showing “step-motherly treatment” toward Kerala.
“The Union Government’s recent approval allowing foreign contributions to the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund starkly highlights the injustice done to Kerala during the devastating 2018 floods, when foreign aid was blocked and contributions to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund were disallowed,” he said.
“At the time of the 2018 floods that devastated the state of Kerala, many international organisations including the Government of UAE expressed their willingness to extend a helping hand to Kerala but such requests were outrightly denied by the BJP government,” Kumar added.
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