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Key Points

Kerala's Leader of Opposition has welcomed the High Court's strong observations about the Centre's reluctance to help landslide victims. The court directly questioned why the central government wasn't showing the same support to Kerala as it has to other states. Meanwhile, state ministers are calling this clear discrimination and step-motherly treatment. The whole situation highlights the ongoing tension between Kerala and the central government over disaster relief funding.

Key Points: VD Satheesan Welcomes Kerala HC Slamming Centre on Wayanad Loans

  • Congress leader VD Satheesan welcomes HC observation on loan waiver demand
  • Kerala Minister accuses Centre of step-motherly treatment towards state
  • HC criticized Union government for lacking courage in loan waiver decision
  • Centre claims no legal provision exists to waive bank loans for disaster victims
3 min read

Kerala LoP welcomes HC's observation slamming Centre over reluctance to waive loans of Wayanad landslide victims

Kerala LoP supports High Court criticism of Centre's reluctance to waive loans for Wayanad landslide victims, citing discrimination against the state.

"If you are not ready to help, tell it directly to the people - Kerala High Court"

Thiruvananthapuram, October 8

Congress leader VD Satheesan, who is Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, on Wednesday welcomed the High Court observation in which it criticised the Centre for its reluctance to waive the loans of those affected by the Wayanad landslides of 2024.

"I welcome the observation of Kerala High Court because we had been demanding a loan waiver for the victims of the Wayanad landslide. But unfortunately, the central government was not ready to make a decision in this regard," Satheesan told ANI.

"We had adopted a unanimous resolution in the Kerala Assembly demanding a loan waiver. Even then the Central government was not ready," he added.

Satheesan claimed that the Centre has provided similar relief in Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and some northern states, "but unfortunately, they are not doing it in Kerala".

Welcoming the High Court's oral observations, Kerala Minister K Rajan said that the State is not seeking any "mercy" but its rightful share.

"Kerala High Court itself has recognised the Centre's hostility towards Kerala. The court said, 'If you are not ready to help, tell it directly to the people.' Kerala is not seeking mercy; it is demanding its rightful share. ....'The Centre's affidavit has caused extreme discomfort. While the Centre is generously supporting other states, it is showing a step-motherly attitude only towards Kerala," Rajan told reporters.

"The Centre is testing Kerala's patience. There is no issue in Kerala intervening to waive off the debts of disaster-affected people. However, this could create technical issues such as those related to the CIBIL score. The law empowers the Central Government to act in this matter. The Kerala Government has strongly registered its protest against the Centre's stance," he added.

The Kerala High Court criticised the Union government for its reluctance to waive the loans of the survivors of the devastating landslides. The remarks came while the court was considering a suo motu case it had initiated following the July 2024 landslides in Meppadi grama panchayat, which claimed several lives and left many families displaced.

The central government has informed the High Court that the loans of the Mundake-Churalmala disaster victims cannot be waived. There is no provision in the law to waive bank loans, it said.

The Central government has informed the court that the matter does not come under the jurisdiction of the Centre, and the decision should be taken by the board of directors of the respective banks.

"If the bank is not interested in writing off the loan, it should show courage to say so openly. It is not right to say that the Centre does not have the authority. If this is the approach, the court will have to take a tough stand," the division Bench, comprising Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Jobin Sebastian, said.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
As someone who lost relatives in the landslide, this HC observation gives us hope. We're not asking for charity, just what's rightfully due to disaster victims. The Centre should stop playing politics with people's lives.
D
David E
While I sympathize with the victims, loan waivers set a bad precedent. There should be a structured relief package instead of complete waivers. The banking system needs to be protected too.
A
Ananya R
The double standards are clear! Uttarakhand, Gujarat get help but Kerala doesn't? This is pure discrimination. Kudos to HC for calling out this injustice 🙏
S
Siddharth J
Both state and central governments are playing blame game while common people suffer. Instead of political posturing, they should work together to find a solution. Disaster relief should be above politics.
M
Meera T
The CIBIL score concern is valid, but there must be a way to help these victims without ruining their credit history. Maybe the government can provide direct financial assistance instead of loan waivers?
K
Kavya N
When natural disasters strike, the government's first duty is to help citizens rebuild their lives. The Centre's reluctance is heartbreaking. Hope the court's intervention brings relief to these families soon 💔

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