The Congress accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of misleading the Rajya Sabha by stating that the Kerala government had not used early warning systems and alerts issued by the Centre ahead of the landslides in Wayanad, which have claimed the lives of at least 300 people. The Congress filed a notice to move a privilege motion against Shah on Friday, August 2.
The Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP and chief whip, Jairam Ramesh, wrote a letter to Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar that was obtained by the news agency. In it, he stated that the home minister’s assertions regarding early warning systems and how the Kerala government failed to use them despite alerts from the Centre prior to the landslides had “been extensively fact-checked in the media.”
Citing a report in the news agency, the letter said that Shah had “misled the Rajya Sabha by 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,” the letter said.
“Under these circumstances, we submit that privilege proceedings may be initiated against the Union Home Minister in this matter.”
As early as seven days before to the Wayanad landslides, on July 31, Shah stated in his response to the motion “calling attention” on the Wayanad landslides that the Union government had warned the Kerala government of the risk of landslides and heavy rains on July 23.
“… On July 23, seven days before [the landslides happened]. On July 26, we warned that there would be heavy rains of more than 20 cm … a possibility of landslides, [that] mud could rush and that people could be trapped and die in this too. I didn’t want to say anything, but questions were raised about India’s early warning system,” said Shah.
Early warning systems have been employed and benefitted from by various regions, according to Shah. In accordance with this early warning system, nine NDRF teams took off for Kerala by plane on July 23 alone, with his personal consent.
“The Union government did so much, what did the Kerala government do? People were living in vulnerable situations, but were they shifted? Why weren’t they shifted?” Shah asked. “If they had been shifted, how would they have died?” Shah had said.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan refuted his assertions the same day, listing the instances in which the Union government had sent alerts and claiming that the home minister had given information in parliament that was “inconsistent” with the truth.
Three Marxist MPs from the Communist Party of India, V. Sivadasan, John Brittas, and A.A. Rahim, also wrote to Dhankhar on Wednesday, requesting that Shah be subject to privilege procedures for deceiving the House.
In the letter, the MPs said that the home minister had stated things that were not supported by the facts.
The MPs were cited in their letter as adding, “The statements in question have not only caused undue distress but also paint an unfair picture of the State’s gallant efforts.”
