Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday, June 19, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that the decision to stop the state’s health minister from visiting Kuwait in the aftermath of the fire accident that killed around 49 people, including 45 Indians, was against cooperative federalism. He requested PM Modi to advise the Ministry for External Affairs to be responsive to such requests in the future. 

“The state government shall be failing in its duty, if the non-response to the request for the political clearance is not brought before the attention of the Prime Minister. The collective decision of the state cabinet has been disregarded. Political clearance was requested as per the Office Memorandum of the Cabinet Secretariat dated February 28, 2023,” he said, adding that health minister Veena George could not visit Kuwait as the External Affairs Ministry did not respond to the state government’s request for political clearance.

Pinarayi Vijayan, in the letter, further said that around half the number of people who lost their lives in the fire accident hailed from Kerala. “Her presence in Kuwait would have helped substantially in liaisoning with the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, the team of officials and the Embassy. This could have provided mental relief and confidence to the families of those who were affected by the unforeseen tragedy,” the letter read.

The Kerala state cabinet, in a special meeting on June 13, decided to send the minister to Kuwait to coordinate relief efforts, which included arranging treatment for the injured and managing the repatriation of the deceased. However, the trip was cancelled and the minister said her departure was blocked by the Union government.