Kerala floods response: CM Satheesan hits back at critics over 'eating food'

Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Monday (August 3) rejected allegations of lapses in the state's response to the ongoing floods and landslides, asserting that the government had taken all necessary precautionary measures well in advance.

Responding to criticism over disaster management, Satheesan accused the Opposition of attempting to "gain political mileage" amid the natural calamity.

What Satheesan said

Addressing a press conference in Thiruvanthapuram, the Chief Minister said the government had conducted pre-monsoon review meetings with district collectors and held additional review meetings on July 30 and August 1 after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued heavy rainfall warnings.

"All necessary preparations were made well before the heavy rains. There were no shortcomings in the rescue operations or the functioning of relief camps," he said.

Also read: Monsoon fury grips India: 15 dead in Kerala, Karnataka grapples with flooding, landslides

"Relief camps were fully operational, and there were no complaints regarding camp management. The only challenge is that no one can precisely predict where such extremely localised rainfall will occur," he said.

'Allegations based on misinformation'

The Chief Minister said claims that relief camps lacked facilities or medicines were "false" and accused some people of deliberately spreading misinformation during the disaster.

"There wasn't a single issue in even one relief camp. These allegations are based on misinformation being widely circulated through social media. In Aranmula, a party (CPI(M)) area secretary influenced a woman to make allegations before the media, but she later clarified the facts. Such mischief should not be created during a disaster," he said.

Responding to Opposition criticism over attending a lunch programme while rescue operations were underway, Satheesan said the campaign against him was "defamatory and politically motivated".

Luncheon criticism

The Chief Minister said he became aware of the disaster around 5 am on August 1 and immediately contacted the Revenue Minister, Chief Secretary, district ministers, district collectors and MLAs to review the situation.

Also read: Monsoon mayhem: Floods ravage Kerala, Odisha, Assam; IMD warns of more rain

"I asked all of them whether my physical presence was required anywhere and they told me there was no need. I therefore continued with my scheduled programme," he said. Satheesan said he had lunch only at around 3 pm in Ponnani after completing official engagements and remaining in constant touch with the administration.

"I did not know that during the 2018 and 2019 floods, the then Chief Minister had gone on a hunger strike. I simply went to eat food. I reached Ponnani only around 3 pm. Now a campaign is being carried out saying that I committed a grave mistake by eating food," he said.

CM slams Opposition

He also accused the Opposition of raising political issues while rescue operations were underway.

"My mistake, according to them, is that I ate food. But on that very day, the Leader of the Opposition held a press conference raising political allegations on other issues while rescue operations were going on. Nobody questioned that," he said.

Also read: Kerala rain crisis: 15 dead as key reservoirs hit high-alert levels

The Chief Minister also denied allegations that he had failed to coordinate rescue operations.

He said his office issued updates to the media every two to three hours and that the Revenue Minister had conducted two detailed media briefings explaining the deployment of NDRF teams, attempts to secure Navy helicopters and Coast Guard boats and other rescue measures.