It appears as though the Kerala government has fallen for a fake news of Rs.700 cr aid and made claims without checking facts

At last, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s claim of Rs.700 crore (100 million US dollars) offer from United Arab Emirates (UAE) for flood relief operations has turned out to be a typical Cock & Bull story. Who misled Vijayan? On August 21, Vijayan told media about this huge offer from UAE and many Left – Liberals and pro-Left and anti-Modi journalists started latching on this Cock & Bull story and started ridiculing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “only offering just Rs.600 crores” to Kerala and started boasting of UAE’s special love for Kerala while Modi led Centre’s non-caring attitude to calamity-struck Kerala.

No authority in UAE ever offered this so-called Rs.700 crores relief to Kerala. According to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, this offer of assurance was made by the UAE Ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and that this message was conveyed to him by Kerala-based business tycoon M. A. Yusuf Ali.

“Today morning, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, informed our Prime Minister about their contribution for Kerala and this was conveyed to me by M.A. Yusuf Ali… We also express the gratitude of Kerala to HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and the Emir of Abu Dhabi, and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of UAE and Emir of Dubai, said Vijayan at his press conference[1].

After 2004, as a policy, the Government of India has stopped receiving such aid offers from foreign governments. Soon Left-wing journalists and anti-Modi journalists started the campaign that though rules or policy don’t permit, Modi should allow Kerala to accept this huge offer from UAE. To make matters interesting, the Finance Minister of Kerala Thomas Isaac also waded into this:

We asked Union Gov for financial support of ₹2200 Cr ; they grant us a precious ₹600 Cr . We make no request to any foreign gov but UAE gov voluntarily offer ₹700cr. No, says the Union gov, it is below our dignity to accept foreign aid. This is a dog in the manger policy. — Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) August 22, 2018

What an irresponsible statement from the Finance Minister of Kerala! Is this how he writes his budget figures? By the way, he is also heading a sub-committee of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). No wonder the GST tax structure is so messed up.

Now the cat is out of the bag. The Dubai based Keralite industrialist Yusuf Ali said on Thursday (August 23) that he does not know anything about this offer and that he has nothing to do with this. Yusuf Ali’s communication department also issued a statement that they would initiate legal proceedings against media houses if his name is dragged into the controversy. Yusuf Ali’s Lulu Group has already donated $5 million Dirhams (Rs. 10 crores) to Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Did Vijayan misunderstand what Yusuf Ali said? Or did someone fool him? Or did Vijayan try to create a controversy? Without a written offer, how can a Chief Minister fall for such hearsays? Before an official announcement from UAE authorities, how did the media create this controversy? These things expose the role of mischief makers even during the time of calamities. Simply put – this is nothing but a classic Nigerian email bumper offer-like fraud.

Note:

1. The conversion rate used in this article is 1 USD = 70 Rupees.

2. 1 Dirham = 19.1 Rupees.

References:

[1] UAE donates Rs 700 crore to aid relief efforts in Kerala – Aug 21, 2018, Business Today