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Amit Shah had claimed that an early warning about the devastating Wayanad landslides was issued to Kerala but the state government did not pay heed.
Wayanad Landslides: Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh Friday moved a Privilege Motion notice against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Upper House over his claims that the Kerala government did not utilize “early warning” systems despite alerts issued by Central authorities.
“In his response to a calling attention on the Wayanad landslides in the Rajya Sabha on July 31, the Union Home Minister made several claims on early warning systems and how they were not utilized by the Kerala government despite alerts issued by the Union Government well ahead of the tragedy,” Ramesh said in his letter addressed to Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Shah’s claims fact-checked by media
The Congress General Secretary said the claims made by Shah have “extensively fact-checked” by the media and proven false, and accused the Home Minister of misleading the Rajya Sabha with his statements on the Wayanad landslides tragedy.
“These claims have been extensively fact-checked in the media. It is clear that the Union Home Minister misled the Rajya Sabha with his emphatic statements on early warnings issued by the Union government which have been proven to be false. It is well established that misleading the house by a minister or a member constitutes a breach of privilege and contempt of the house,” Ramesh said.
On Wednesday, Amit Shah had asserted that the Kerala government could have minimized the losses in Wayanad if they had become alert after the Central government’s warning about potential landslides and the risk to people’s lives.
‘Early warning given, not heeded’
Shah claimed that an early warning about the devastating landslides was issued to Kerala but the state government did not pay heed.
“Early warning was given, that is why on July 23, we sent 9 teams of NDRF and three more were sent yesterday. Had they become alert the day the NDRF teams landed, a lot could have been saved,” he said.
“But this is the time to stand with the government and the people of Kerala. Irrespective of the party politics, the Modi government will stand with the people of Kerala,” the Home Minister stated.
He also said that the Central government had sent an early warning to the government of Kerala 7 days before the incident, and then on July 24, 25 and July 26.
Wayanad landslides
A series of landslides triggered by torrential rains struck hilly areas in Kerala’s Wayanad district on Tuesday morning, triggering flash floods which left behind a trail of death and destruction, leaving 300 people dead and hundreds injured.
On Friday, Kerala Health Minister Veena George confirmed 308 deaths in the multiple landslides that hit Wayanad on July 30, stating that 195 bodies and 113 body parts have been recovered so far by rescuers.
(With ANI inputs)
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