Thiruvananthapuram: Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala stated that the state government's order making COVID negative certificates mandatory for repatriating Keralites from foreign countries on chartered flights should be changed.

This condition which is not put forward even by Vande Bharat Mission is creating a lot of trouble. The organisations in Gulf countries are arranging chartered flights for those who cannot even book tickets. It is very expensive and difficult to get a COVID certificate in Gulf countries and is not practical to get it within 48 hours before the flight, Ramesh Chennithala said.

It is brutal to make COVID certificate mandatory only because they board chartered flights. They should be brought back after conducting primary tests just as others are tested. Once they reach here, they can be subjected to other tests and procedures as per COVID protocol, he added.

The assembly had passed a resolution on March 12, 2020 against the order of Ministry of Civil Aviation that only those who test negative for COVID should be repatriated from Italy and Korea. The resolution was presented by the chief minister. Those who took a stand against the order then are now imposing the same, Chennithala alleged.