Both Centre, Kerala claim expenses for evacuation of Indians from Libya

Amidst fierce electoral battle in Kerala, a war of words on Thursday broke out between Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for taking credit for evacuation of 29 Indians from war-torn Libya.

The political fight erupted a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government had evacuated the families from Libya and that the Centre was committed to work for the welfare of Indians living abroad. Kerala goes to polls on May 16. 

A total of 29 Indians have been evacuated from Libya, of which 16 are from Kerala and they reached Kochi in the morning. 

“Mr Chandy – We evacuated thousands of Indians from Kerala from Iraq, Libya and Yemen. Who paid for them?  Mr Chandy – You said ‘Kerala paid for 29 Indians evacuated from Libya,” Swaraj said tweeted.

The External Affairs Minister, who is recuperating at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national Capital, where she has been admitted since April 25, blamed Chandy for triggering the debate.

“Mr Chandy – You started this debate –as to Who paid? Not me. We always did this because this is our pious duty towards our citizens,” the External Affairs Minister said in another tweet.

Earlier, Chandy had said that the state government was bearing the travel expense of the families, indicating that the Centre had not extended the financial assistance for their  safe travel to India.

“Sushma Swaraj paid for the earlier evacuations. This time we are paying for their travel,” Chandy said.

In an election rally, Prime Minsister Narendra Modi had on Wednesday said: “Our government has saved six families and evacuated 29 people. The Indian government is committed to working for people who go abroad to work, we have always tried to help them. It gives me immense pleasure and happiness to tell you that they are coming back and will be united with their families soon,” Modi said. The Indian Embassy in Libya has been relocated to Djerba in Tunisia because of escalation in violence in Libya.