[Instead of providing and facilitating flow of relief to alleviate the conditions of the Kerala flood victims, the Union Government appears to be more interested in blocking it.
And that comes on top of the vicious Saghi hate campaign to sabotage the relief work (see: < https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/greenyouth/sGoCa3VBlXo>). It looks quite plausible that the GoI is leaning on the UAE to go back on its offer of aid. The BJP is so very insensitive and boorish that it has opted to publicly mock at the Kerala CM. Shashi Tharoor has been assailed for approaching various UN bodies for help.] I/V. http://www.uniindia.com/~/bjp-steps-up-attack-against-cong-left-after-uae-denies-making-rs-700-cr-offer-for-kerala/India/news/1329467.html Posted at: Aug 24 2018 3:19PM BJP steps up attack against Cong, Left after UAE denies making Rs 700 cr offer for Kerala New Delhi, Aug 24 (UNI) The BJP on Friday stepped up attack against the Congress and the Left parties over their motivated move to launch a campaign against the central government after UAE denied making RS 700 crore offer for flood-hit Kerala. "On the tragic event of Kerala floods, it's unfortunate that politics is going on. It is in accordance with the Congress always demeaning India on the world stage," BJP spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters here referring to Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor visiting UN trying to enlist financial assistance in view of the disaster from the world body. He said this was being done at a time when the central government has announced that it will stick to the 'existing policy' and not accept any aid foreign aid. BJP leaders Dr Subramanian Swamy and Amit Malviya said there was "an attempt" being made by a section to present the relief and rescue works by the Centre in poor light. Dr Swamy especially targeted "Indian communists" and said the matter has exposed them after UAE ambassador Ahmed Albanna stated categorically that there was any specific offer of Rs 700-crore help to the flood-ravaged state. "UAE has not announced Rs 700-crore in aid. It is not yet final. It has not been announced.....The assessment of relief needed for the flood and aftermath is ongoing. Announcing any specific amount as financial aid, I don't think it is final, since it is still ongoing," the UAE envoy has been quoted as saying in a leading English daily. The Union Minister and BJP leader from West Bengal Babul Supriyo said the Left leaders, including Sitaram Yechury and others, have developed "foot in mouth disease" and they need to come out of it. "They need to be cured of that disease....Left leaders are not even willing to respect the personal supervision and personal care shown by Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards the flood victims," Mr Supriyo told journalists. "All central government agencies are trying to help the people of Kerala....," he said, adding that Rs 600 crore assistance was immediately announced by the Centre. He said the "narrow minded CPI-M leaders are getting into slug fest" at a time when relief and rescue operations are on. "No one really knows where from that Rs 700 crore announcement came....Today, I will applaud the UAE government for putting things in right perspective," the Union Minister said. "The Left leaders will have to answer from where this Rs 700 crore assistance amount offer came. I don't think this puts the country in a very good light," he said. The row had started off after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had stated that the UAE, which is home to hundreds of Keralites, had offered Rs 700-crore disaster aid. As a matter of policy, the central government has rejected the offer for any foreign aid saying it will stick to the existing policy that was enforced since 2004. Mr Vijayan had also said that “UAE cannot be considered as any other nation”. Congress leader and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and the incumbent Finance Minister of the state Thomas Isaac have flayed the Centre. "We asked Union Gov for financial support of Rs 2200-crore; they grant us a precious Rs. 600-crore. We make no request to any foreign gov but UAE gov voluntarily offer Rs 700-crore. No, says Union gov , it is below our dignity to accept foreign aid. This is a dog in the manger policy," tweeted Mr Isaac. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya, meanwhile, said on Friday - "there was no offer at all....there is a section of people in Kerala, mostly aligned to the Left, who believe that the UAE in its illusionary offer has done lot more than the central government....This kind of deriding your own government, your people including the state of Tamil Nadu is something we must introspect". UNI DEVN SB 1514 II/V. https://theprint.in/opinion/let-me-set-the-record-straight-i-was-in-geneva-for-kerala-shashi-tharoor/104380/ Saturday, 25 August, 2018 Let me set the record straight. I was in Geneva for Kerala: Shashi Tharoor SHASHI THAROOR 24 August, 2018 File photo of Shashi Tharoor | S Sahani/The India Today Group/Getty Images There is no shame in taking the help extended to us by friends. Earlier this week, on 20-21 August, I travelled to Geneva, Switzerland, where I held a series of high-level briefings with the senior leadership of the United Nations, the World Health Organisation and the International Red Cross to brief them on the devastating humanitarian crisis of flooding in Kerala. This visit has, within many quarters of the cacophonic Indian media and belligerent political class, been singled out, misconstrued and maligned in an assortment of ways. Let me set the record straight. Over the course of the two days, I engaged in meetings with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva, the Deputy Director-General of Emergency Preparedness and Response of WHO and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The mission, undertaken in my individual capacity and at my own expense, was driven by the following purpose: Should the Government of India, based on the requirement put forward by the state government of Kerala, reach out to the international community for humanitarian assistance, what were the possible avenues through which these actors could complement the massive on ground operations, which were and would encompass the 5 R’s in the state? These are Rescue (this is now almost over, due to the stellar performance of the armed forces, the NDRF, local fishermen groups and ordinary individuals), Relief (this was well under control thanks to the efficiency of the state administration and the solidarity of the Indian public), Risk of diseases (this needed to be assessed), Rehabilitation (a medium-term challenge) and Rebuilding (a long-term challenge). Also read: Kerala floods: The science behind what went wrong, and what we have to learn The discussions and deliberations were well-received by the respective branches of the international system focused on responding to health emergencies, disaster management and mitigation, and each meeting consciously targeted the international bodies that could best cater to and assist the needs of Kerala. For instance, in the discussion with the OCHA, the designated body of the UN tasked with coordination among humanitarian actors and funding bodies in the event of an emergency, the need for a rapid assessment of sector-wide damage and loss assessment for recovery planning was stressed, in addition to the need to implement the valuable lessons we have learnt from similar situations in other countries. The UN said it was ready to offer technical assistance, long-term preparedness interventions and even help channel funds and resources for reconstruction needs in the state via an international conference of interested countries and competent stakeholders. Similarly, the WHO mentioned they were closely monitoring the situation on ground, particularly since the flooding could potentially lead to an outbreak of communicable diseases (both vector and water-borne) like cholera, leptospirosis, hepatitis A, dengue and typhoid fever. While the grave risk of a possible epidemic outbreak in the state was a very real possibility, to counter this, the WHO had pointed out that they were in a position to offer Kerala rapid diagnostics kits to test water and water filters and that India was welcome to access WHO’s global stockpile of anti-cholera vaccines (2 million doses of current stocks estimated). The WHO could, in addition, help create disaster-preparedness programmes and early warning systems, as well as improve surveillance on a local and state level. Finally, in my deliberations with the ICRC, while it was agreed that their classic mandate for conflict areas does not apply to India, its Centre of Excellence at Gujarat Forensic Sciences University could help in dealing with the sensitive management of fatalities. ICRC’s experience in helping create rehabilitation plans for displaced populations is also something that the authorities could draw upon in the weeks and months ahead as we rebuild Kerala. While a more comprehensive version of my deliberations is now out in the public domain and can be accessed on my Facebook page, in summary, based on these conversations, my conclusions and recommendations (which were promptly shared with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his office) were as follows: State government could examine whether it requires a multi-sector needs assessment by UN agencies (WHO, UNICEF, OCHA); Depending on whether the quantum of long-term reconstruction assistance from the central government is adequate, the state government could give thought to holding an international reconstruction conference to ‘Rebuild Kerala Better’ in partnership with the UN system so that significant international assistance in reconstruction can be facilitated; State government could request for the 2 million WHO stock of anti-cholera vaccines to minimise the risk of grave water-borne diseases; State government could accept ICRC/Gujarat Forensic Sciences University support as appropriate; Since the Government of India does not wish to request international assistance directly, it is entirely feasible to operationalise any and all of the above by negotiating with the UN system to have the UN offer what we need, on a no-objection basis from the GoI. When I had publicly shared these recommendations, some were quick to point to previous comments that I had made, which had politely pointed out that seeking international assistance was the prerogative of the central and state government, arguing that, by my own logic, my visit was seemingly a flawed PR exercise. Also read: Superstition about Kerala floods: Rule of faith or lack of rationalism in 21st century India? Some have categorically decried my actions as that of a Parliamentarian having abandoned his constituency and the state at large in its hour of need, others have accused me of acting independent of any directive from the state government and the Centre, and some have even, rather bizarrely, suggested that my visit has prompted the Government of India to decline the generous voluntary financial assistance that has been offered by the UAE and a host of other nations, presumably keeping the country’s prestige in mind, and consequently increased the financial burden on the state. The first suggestion is blatantly fallacious, promoted by some with the mischievous intent of spreading despair in the hearts of the affected. At a time when the same sections of the media and ruling dispensation were seemingly preoccupied elsewhere, I was in my constituency, working round the clock to alleviate the troubles of my people, as is my constitutionally mandated duty. My presence there was divided between the time spent in relief camps that housed the displaced in my constituency, or working in close coordination with the district administration to ensure that the relief and resources that were pouring in were effectively delivered to those who needed it the most. It was only when the troubles and water had begun to subside in Thiruvananthapuram, which has fortunately been one of the lesser affected districts in the state, and my duty fulfilled, did I concentrate my energy and attention towards identifying other avenues through which I could secure the medium and long-term future of our state and its people. Also read: The billionaire NRI from UAE who gave Rs 10 crore to help Kerala flood victims As I continue to maintain, the prerogative of seeking international assistance certainly remains with the state and central government. But even here, as a concerned Malayalee, a proud Indian and former UN Under-Secretary-General with a proven track record of almost three decades, I had a moral responsibility to reach out to my networks in the international humanitarian community and explore possibilities of international assistance and support to alleviate the sufferings of fellow Keralites, and place these recommendations before the state government for its consideration and, if found necessary, with the central government too. In other words, the purpose of my visit to Geneva was to ensure that the state government is armed with all the information and options possible as it charts the course of rehabilitation and rebuilding a new Kerala. My outreach was in my individual capacity as the people’s representative for Thiruvananthapuram and I did not claim to be representing either the state government or the Indian National Congress, though I consulted the chief minister before my meetings and briefed my party’s president after. My critics forget that the party I am proud to belong to has no part in the administration of the Centre or the state at present. However, in this challenging hour, parties across the spectrum have, with a few notable exceptions, strived to put aside their differences and have rallied together to help the people of Kerala. In other words, there are no partisan political wins to be had here – only a desire to help during an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the state. On the last point of foreign aid, interestingly in several of my meetings, the ‘Bhuj Model’ of utilisation of foreign aid was brought up, where initially, through the medium of an international aid conference, as I have also recommended, foreign humanitarian funding was channelled into Gujarat, which helped kick start the rebuilding and rehabilitation process in a significant way in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake of 2001. Also read: Modi govt’s proxy vote bill for NRIs will lead to misuse and fraud: Shashi Tharoor Similarly, given the scale of devastation in Kerala and the lean relief package announced by the Centre (which, currently at Rs 600 crore, is a fraction of what the state government had requested), it seems imperative that the Centre must be open to the idea of accepting foreign aid. Protocol on matters such as this cannot and must not be decided by the issue of ‘prestige’ (even the US for instance openly accepted voluntary aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005). Rather, it must be based on the scale of the devastation, the needs of the victims and the quantum of funds that will be realistically required to get the state back on its feet. The flooding is over. The rebuilding must begin. We are not alone in the world and there is no shame in taking the help extended to us by friends. Dr Shashi Tharoor is a Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram and former MoS for External Affairs and HRD. He served the UN as an administrator and peacekeeper for three decades. He studied history at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and International Relations at Tufts University. Tharoor has authored 17 books, both fiction and non-fiction; his most recent book is ‘Why I am a Hindu’. Follow him on Twitter @ShashiTharoor. III/V. https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/news/india/who-told-vijayan-about-uae-aid/articleshow/65536324.cms ‘Who told Vijayan about UAE aid?’ Agencies | Updated: Aug 25, 2018, 04:00 IST ‘Who told Vijayan about UAE aid?’ family sifts through the mess left by the floods at Mundancavu BJP’s Kerala unit claims UAE hasn’t offered `700 crore; CM says damages caused by floods not comparable to other calamities The row over Centre’s stand on receiving foreign aid for relief and rebuilding work in flood-ravaged Kerala has escalated with the BJP’s state unit cornering Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over his claims that the UAE has offered India Rs 700 crore. Claiming that the UAE has made no such offer for the state, the Kerala BJP on Friday asked Vijayan to reveal the source from where he came to know about the UAE’s offer. “We want Vijayan to explain about this news and from where he received it. After the Centre expressed reservations in accepting the aid, a vicious smear campaign was unleashed against the Centre and PM Narendra Modi,” state BJP chief PS Sreedharan Pillai said at a press conference in Kozhikode. The BJP’s stand was perhaps bolstered by reports that the UAE has made no official announcement on the amount of financial aid for Kerala. Pillai said that no central government, save Modi’s, has extended so much help to a state. “He came and assessed the flood situation. Despite bad weather, he got in a helicopter and surveyed the destruction. Such is his commitment,” he added. Earlier this week at a press meet, CM Vijayan spoke about the aid from the UAE, saying that the news was conveyed to him by Middle East business honcho, MA Yusuf Ali. The state BJP’s attack, however, seemed to have little effect on Vijayan, who reiterated on Friday that Kerala should be treated on a different yardstick for extending flood relief assistance as its huge loss cannot be compared with damage in any other state at any point of time. The CM had earlier stated that he would take up the foreign aid issue with the Centre after reports surfaced that the Narendra Modi government has declined financial assistance offered by the UAE and other countries in keeping with a long-standing policy. Vijayan said that the preliminary assessment of losses was around Rs 20,000 crore, which was equal to the state’s annual Plan size for 2018-19. In support of his stand that Kerala’s case was unique, he said the state was densely populated and had infrastructure facilities such as good roads, communication network and hospitals. Hence, the loss suffered in the floods was huge in nature and was something which cannot be compared to the damage suffered by any other part of the country at any point of time. “It is with a thankful heart that we take note of the fact that foreign countries ranging from the UAE to Qatar have come forward with their promise of assistance,” the CM said. Special lottery to raise funds Meanwhile, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Issac on Friday announced a special lottery to raise additional funds towards the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). Issac told the media that each ticket would cost Rs 250 and the draw would take place on October 3. The entire proceeds of the lottery will go to the CMDRF. IV/V. http://factchecker.in/keralafloods-govt-cites-policy-in-refusing-rs-700-crore-aid-from-uae-but-policy-allows-aid/ #KeralaFloods: Govt Cites Policy In Refusing Rs 700-Crore Aid From UAE, But Policy Allows Aid August 23, 2018 by Fact Checker PM Kerala_750 Mumbai: The Centre has refused to accept aid relief of Rs 700 crore ($100 million) from the United Arab Emirates, citing policy, but its own 2015 policy allows such aid to be accepted “as a goodwill gesture”. “The Government of India deeply appreciates offers from several countries, including from foreign governments, to assist in relief and rehabilitation efforts after the tragic floods in Kerala. In line with the existing policy, the Government is committed to meeting the requirements for relief and rehabilitation through domestic efforts,” according to an official statement from the ministry of external affairs on August 22, 2018. That is contrary to the government’s official policy. “If the national government of another country voluntarily offers assistance as a goodwill gesture in solidarity with the disaster victims, the Central Government may accept the offer,” says chapter 9 of The National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP), cleared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in 2015. The home ministry should coordinate with the external affairs ministry–the agency primarily responsible for reviewing offers of foreign assistance–and the concerned state government, if it is to accept foreign aid, the NDMP states. Quoting the NDMP, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and finance minister Thomas Isaac have asked the Centre to accept the offer. If the Centre remains silent or rejects the offer, Vijayan and Isaac have said that Delhi must compensate the state for the missed opportunity to receive funds offered as goodwill. Thomas Isaac @drthomasisaac National Disaster Management Plan Chapter 9 on international cooperation accepts that in time severe calamity voluntary aid given by a foreign gov can be accepted. Still if Union Gov chooses to adopt a negative stance towards offer made byUAE gov they should compensate Kerala 5:50 PM - Aug 22, 2018 2,737 1,773 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy Faced with the destruction left by the worst monsoon floods in 94 years, 1.2 million in relief camps and now over 400 dead, Kerala has been appealing to the public and private donors to help reconstruction efforts. CMO Kerala ✔ @CMOKerala Kerala is facing its worst flood in 100 years. 80 dams opened, 324 lives lost and 223139 people are in about 1500+ relief camps. Your help can rebuild the lives of the affected. Donate to https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in #StandWithKerala. 5:27 PM - Aug 17, 2018 Donation Portal : Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) is an emergency assistance release mechanism granting immediate relief to families and individuals distressed by calamity, loss of life due to accidents... donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in 36.1K 25.9K people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy The state has requested financial aid of Rs 2,200 crore ($286 million) from the Centre, but just over a third has been pledged so far. The Rs 600 crore Central aid is less than the cost of one Rafale fighter jet (Rs 670 crore), 36 of which India hopes to buy from France, IndiaSpend reported on August 22, 2018. Thomas Isaac @drthomasisaac We asked Union Gov for financial support of ₹2200 Cr ; they grant us a precious ₹600 Cr . We make no request to any foreign gov but UAE gov voluntarily offer ₹700cr. No, says Union gov , it is below our dignity to accept foreign aid. This is a dog in the manger policy. 7:43 PM - Aug 22, 2018 11.2K 6,299 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy The government’s refusal to accept foreign aid appears to follow a policy established in 2004 following a tsunami. “We are following the policy since 2004, and have been turning down assistance from foreign governments since then,” a government source told the Indian Express. “In Kerala also, we are sticking to that policy.” India received Rs 950 crore in foreign aid from a mixture of inter-governmental organisations and individual nations in 2016-17, according to this response to a Lok Sabha question in March 2017. Over the past decade, the UK has been the largest donor of foreign aid, followed by The Global Fund, an international financing organisation to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and the European Union. (Sanghera is a writer and researcher with IndiaSpend.) V. https://scroll.in/article/891743/why-bjp-is-arguing-that-uaes-rs-700-crore-offer-to-help-kerala-was-made-up Why BJP is arguing that UAE’s Rs 700-crore offer to help Kerala was ‘made up’ A look at the political controversy that has emerged in the aftermath of the floods that have devastated Kerala. Why BJP is arguing that UAE’s Rs 700-crore offer to help Kerala was ‘made up’ 8 hours ago Rohan Venkataramakrishnan Kerala and New Delhi already seemed to be squabbling over the whether India should accept aid from the United Arab Emirates in the aftermath of devastating floods. But on Friday, the controversy was taken to another level, after the Bharatiya Janata Party decided to go on an offensive claiming that there had been no UAE offer in the first place. Kerala BJP President Sreedharan Pillai demanded an explanation from the state’s chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, asking him to explain from where he got the news about UAE’s offer. Vijayan had tweeted on August 21 that the Gulf country was willing to give Rs 700 crore in financial assistance to Kerala. The news quickly became political because that amount turned out to be more than the Rs 600 crore that the Centre has, so far, committed to Kerala. The BJP’s Amit Malviya on Friday called this a “non-existent offer.” To rewind, here’s the sequence of events: Soon after the scale of the floods became apparent, the UAE said it has a “special responsibility” to help Kerala as its people have been a part of its success story. On August 18 it set up an emergency committee to assist in relief work. On the same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked UAE’s Vice President Sheikh Mohammad Al Maktoum for “his gracious offer to support people of Kerala during this difficult time.” On August 21, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted about an offer for Rs 700 crore from UAE, which he said had first been told to Yusuff Ali M.A., a businessman from the state whose Lulu Group is one of the largest retail chains in the Gulf. Vijayan said that the offer was communicated to Modi by Sheikh Mohammad Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi. CM Pinarayi Vijayan informed that the United Arab Emirates will provide Kerala an assistance of ₹700 Crore. Kerala has a special relationship with UAE, which is a home away from home for Malayalees. We express our gratitude to UAE for their support. #KeralaFloodRelief pic.twitter.com/yfwbt9iEkd — CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 21, 2018 This was communicated to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi (@PMOIndia) by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan (@MohamedBinZayed), Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE's Armed Forces. — CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 21, 2018 The assistance of UAE was first informed to Malayali businessman and philanthropist Yusuff Ali M.A. — CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 21, 2018 There was no denial from either the UAE or from Modi the following day. Instead, there were news reports that said Modi was unlikely to say yes to the offer, according to unnamed sources, and would stick to the policy that India would handle the rehabilitation efforts with domestic funds. On August 22, the Ministry of External Affairs made this official, saying, “The Government of India deeply appreciates offers from several countries, including from foreign governments, to assist in relief and rehabilitation efforts after the tragic floods in Kerala. In line with the existing policy, the Government is committed to meeting the requirements for relief and rehabilitation through domestic efforts.” What followed was a campaign calling on the Modi government to make an exception to the policy, or to compensate Kerala with the same amount if New Delhi was saying no. Some even pointed out that the Modi government’s 2015 National Disaster Management Plan says the Centre may accept an offer in the case of a calamity. Union Minister KJ Alphons, of the BJP, said that he was “appealing to my senior colleagues to make a special consideration for the state. I appeal to them to make a one-time exception to the policy”. On August 24, the UAE’s ambassador to India told the Indian Express that the country has not made any announcement about a specific amount of aid it would give India. “The assessment of relief needed for the flood and aftermath is ongoing. Announcing any specific amount as financial aid, I don’t think it is final, since it is still ongoing,” said Ahmed Albanna. Meanwhile, on the same day, the BJP stepped up its attack on the Kerala government, asking where the news of the offer came from and calling it non-existent. Some referred to the UAE ambassador’s statement as a “denial” although technically UAE had only said that no figure is final, and did not deny the offer. So what is going on here? If the Kerala government is to be believed, the UAE told Yusuff Ali it was willing to help. This information was then communicated to Modi, presumably keeping Vijayan in the loop. Vijayan then announced that UAE would be giving Rs 700 crore, only to have MEA say “no, thank you”, and the BJP to turn around and deny an offer in the first place. If the BJP is to be believed, the Kerala government made up the Rs 700 crore offer to shame the Centre, which had only committed to Rs 600 crore, knowing that the government would say no to foreign aid regardless. A third theory might be that the offer was made, but recognising the way it would reflect on India, and going by previous policy, it became clear that the Centre was going to say no. Subsequently, Vijayan went public regardless, as a means to push New Delhi into accepting the offer for aid to help deal with the massive devastation caused by the floods. Recognising that this reflects badly on the Centre, the BJP has gone on the offensive claiming the offer was made-up, knowing the UAE will not contradict it for diplomatic reasons. How will we know the truth? Look at the people involved in the matter. Vijayan’s claims about how things went are already public. He claimed the offer was made to Modi, and the government then said no. Three other sources could add further light to this: The UAE government. Remember, UAE has not denied making the offer. It simply said that the amount is not final. From a diplomatic perspective, this makes sense – why announce a number if you’re unsure whether New Delhi will accept or not? The UAE has nothing to gain from embarrassing India, and so it is unlikely the country will say anything beyond the statement given by the ambassador. Yusuff Ali. The businessman may be privy to the amount that UAE was offering. But he has close connections to the leadership in all three places, Thiruvananthapuram, New Delhi and Abu Dhabi, and it is unlikely he will go public about any of these matters, so as to not upset them. The Prime Minister’s Office. Vijayan claims the offer was made to Modi, not to him. Modi has not yet said anything about this, though the BJP is now calling it a non-existent offer. Will Modi or his office clarify about the conversation with the Emirati leadership? Until one or more of these three speaks up and clarifies, the only information will be the claims made by the Kerala government. There is, however, one more thing to consider: Why would Kerala make up an offer from the UAE? The BJP’s answer is that it was a conspiracy to shame the Centre because it had committed only Rs 600 crore. This theory presumes that the Kerala government was willing to endanger its relationship with the UAE, where hundreds of thousands of Keralites live and with which it has important trade ties. Does the BJP really believe that Vijayan would pull this offer of Rs 700 crore out of thin air, and announce it on Twitter, tagging the UAE leadership and the prime minister of India? -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
