The Kerala Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution against the Centre's circular barring the return of Indians from coronavirus-hit countries such as Italy unless they produce a certificate that proves they have tested negative for the infection. However, the Congress-led United Democratic Front had not been present at the Assembly at the time the resolution was passed.
The resolution moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the circular was "inhuman" and was akin to "cruelly abandoning" the expatriate Indians.
The CM had on Tuesday written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to withdraw the circular issued by Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The Centre’s circular stipulated that people "travelling from or having visited Italy or South Korea" and desirous of entering India "need to obtain certificates of having tested negative for COVID-19" from the designated laboratories authorised by the health authorities of those countries.
"Because of this circular the Indians, including Keralites, are unable to board any flight even with a confirmed ticket. This is creating great difficulties to them. We came to know from the central government that there were not much facilities in Italy for the medical examination of all those stranded there," Pinarayi Vijayan said in the resolution.
The Chief Minister further said that the foreign authorities were not ready to test people without symptoms as they were already overloaded with patients.
The resolution pointed out that the students from Wuhan in China was airlifted earlier and was housed separately until their medical reports were out.
"Those without any symptoms of infection were allowed to leave for their residence. This was very effective. But this circular is inhuman and it is akin to cruelly abandoning the expatriate Indians," it said.
"We have asked the Centre to allow those in Italy to travel to India and they can be kept in quarantine in case they test positive on arrival," Pinarayi Vijayan said.
The state government also sought the assistance of the Centre to help the expatriates using diplomatic intervention to extend the Visa and leave of those who are in the country. "Many expatriates who had reached the country for vacation are finding it difficult to get back and join their work places abroad due to restriction in air travel. The state government has sought the Centre's diplomatic intervention in extending the Visa period and joining date of those NRIs," the CM said.
The plight of Indians in Italy came to light after Hima, a woman from Kerala, stranded at an airport in the European nation, released a video showing their hardships. "We are being treated as smugglers. People have commented on the video put up on Facebook asking us why we want to come back to Kerala. Many came to the airport without knowing that a certificate would be required for them to travel. The airport authorities say that India was not ready to receive us," she said in a voice message to media.
Hima said at least 200 Indians were stranded at Milan and Rome airports.
With two more testing positive for coronavirus in Kerala on Wednesday, the total number of infected people under treatment is 16. The state government has imposed severe restrictions, including closure of educational institutions and cinema houses, till month end to halt its further spread.
(PTI copy padded up)