'Don't politicise disaster': Kerala Health Minister defends govt flood relief, CM amid criticism

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Monday accused the Opposition of politicising the ongoing flood situation and said the state government's priority remained disaster relief, public health and disease prevention.

Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Muraleedharan rejected allegations that relief camps were facing a shortage of medicines, asserting that adequate supplies had been made available across the state.

"There are medicines. No shortage has been reported anywhere in the camps. Medicines have been delivered wherever required, and there is enough stock of those currently needed," he said.

The minister added that the government had also cleared most of its pending dues to pharmaceutical companies.

Addressing concerns over the availability of medicines under the Karunya scheme, Muraleedharan said the issue was limited to a single pharmacy and that the required medicines would be supplied there by Tuesday.

The minister also hit back at criticism over Chief Minister V D Satheesan attending a lunch programme amid the flood situation, calling the controversy politically motivated.

"Wouldn't anyone have lunch at noon? He went to a place where lunch had been arranged. Saying that having lunch is a big mistake only shows there are no real issues to criticise. Trying to gain political mileage even out of a disaster is utterly unfortunate," he said.

Drawing a comparison with the 2018 Kerala floods, Muraleedharan said the then Opposition had questioned the government's handling of the disaster inside the Assembly but had never criticised where then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had his meals.

He also defended the chief minister's use of a helicopter, saying it was appropriate for official purposes whenever necessary.

"Using a helicopter for essential needs is not wrong at all," he said.

Responding to allegations that Satheesan had used the helicopter for personal reasons, Muraleedharan said the Chief Minister's Office had already clarified that the chief minister visited his critically ill father-in-law while travelling for an official programme.

"Visiting a critically ill father-in-law while on an official trip is basic courtesy. Otherwise, you would have criticised him for not even going to see him," he said.

Muraleedharan reiterated that the government's focus remained on relief operations, disease prevention and disaster management, and appealed to political parties not to exploit the flood situation for political gain.

PTI