CPM MPs Demand Amit Shah’s Clarification on Alleged Weather Alert Neglect in Wayanad Tragedy

Three CPM MPs request Rajya Sabha Chairman to direct Union Home Minister Amit Shah to clarify his statement on Kerala’s response to weather alerts during the Wayanad tragedy, alleging it misled the House.

Key Points

• Three CPM MPs from Kerala have requested Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to direct Union Home Minister Amit Shah to clarify his statement on the Wayanad tragedy.
• MP V. Sivadasan filed a privilege notice against Amit Shah, alleging he misled the Upper House.
• MPs John Brittas, A.A. Rahim, and V. Sivadasan claimed Shah made factually incorrect statements regarding Kerala’s response to weather alerts.
• The MPs highlighted discrepancies between Shah’s statements and the actual weather alerts issued by the India Meteorological Department.
• The CPM MPs urged for an accurate account of events to uphold the integrity of parliamentary proceedings and acknowledge the state’s efforts.

In a significant political development, three Communist Party of India (Marxist) MPs from Kerala have approached Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, urging him to direct Union Home Minister Amit Shah to clarify his recent statement regarding the Wayanad tragedy. The MPs criticized Shah for alleging that the Kerala state government ignored weather alerts from the Centre, which they claim is factually incorrect.

Separately, CPM MP V. Sivadasan has moved a privilege notice with the Secretary-General of Rajya Sabha, accusing Shah of misleading the Upper House and calling for action against the Union Home Minister for breach of privilege. The other MPs, John Brittas, A.A. Rahim, and Sivadasan, expressed their concerns in a letter to Dhankhar, asserting that Shah’s statements during the calling attention motion were not only erroneous but also unfairly criticized the state’s efforts.

Shah had claimed that the Centre had provided timely alerts and warnings about the impending disaster, but the state government failed to act, including not evacuating people promptly. However, the MPs refuted this, citing state government information that indicated the actual rainfall far exceeded the predictions and warnings. They stated that an orange alert, which signifies rainfall between 115 and 204 mm, was in place, but the area experienced 572 mm of rainfall in 48 hours. A red alert was issued only after the incident occurred.

Furthermore, the MPs noted that the India Meteorological Department did not issue any orange alerts for heavy rain in Kerala from July 23 to July 28. It was only on July 29 at 1 p.m. that an orange alert was issued for the Wayanad district, followed by a red alert at 6 a.m. on July 30, after the landslide had already occurred.

“In light of these clarifications and the gravity of the situation, we kindly request the urgent intervention of your good self in setting the record straight as well as in obtaining a clear and accurate account of the events from the Union Home Minister,” the MPs wrote. They emphasized that such a correction is essential to uphold the integrity of parliamentary proceedings and to ensure that the state’s valiant efforts are acknowledged.

MP Sivadasan stated that he filed a privilege notice against Shah as his statement constituted a serious breach of privilege for all MPs. The situation underscores the ongoing tension and the need for accurate communication and acknowledgment of efforts in handling such disasters.