Kerala floods: UAE financial aid news came from leaders of both countries, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Amidst the ongoing row between the Centre and Kerala government over accepting the financial assistance for the state from United Arab Emirates (UAE), Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said that the reported aid of Rs 700 crore for the flood victims was intimated by the leaders of both the countries.

Vijayan said the offer of aid was made by the UAE ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Both these rulers themselves intimated this to the world. The issue now is whether to accept or not. My view is it should be accepted," he said.

Earlier in the day, the Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that the UAE did not announce the $100 million aid for the state and asked Vijayan to reveal his source.

Elaborating, Vijayan said the news was conveyed to him by Middle East businessman MA Yusuf Ali. "I did tell you this earlier too. He (Ali) met them (UAE rulers) and this was stated to him. When Ali informed me, I asked him if I can make this public. He said I can and I did."

The chief minister also told journalists to read a tweet by PM Modi on the subject.

Speaking on the issue, CPI-M politburo member Prakash Karat asked the Centre to refrain from "false prestige" and allow UAE to donate the financial aid for flood-hit Kerala. "The UAE has decided to give Rs 700 crore for the relief of flood-ravaged Kerala people, but the Indian government without consulting the state government declined to accept the donation," the leader said.

Terming the Centre's decision as "uncalled for", he said that when a foreign government on its own is keen to provide help to the people affected by the devastated natural calamity, "central government should not stand on the false prestige".

"Kerala needs huge funds to deal with the massive devastation due to the colossal floods across the state. Central government must allow the UAE to release the amount," he added.

Karat, a former General Secretary of the country`s biggest Left party CPI-M, said that thousands of Indians, 80 per cent of them from Kerala, have been working in the UAE.

"The Indian workers are engaged in many developmental works in UAE. Responding to the contributions of Indian workers, the UAE government wanted to donate the funds for the relief," he said.