Mr Chandy, we paid for evacuating Indians from Kerala from Iraq, Libya, Yemen: Sushma

Kerala seeks apology from PM Modi, not silence: Oommen Chandy   

In an unseemly battle to take credit for the rescue and return of 29 Indians stuck in strife-torn Libya, the last weapon has been hurled by EAM Sushma Swaraj.

But first, the background.

Twenty-nine Indians, including six families from Kerala, rescued after being stranded in Libya, will return home in two days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.

"I have some good news for you. Six families from Kerala and three Tamil Nadu residents, who were stranded in Libya, will return home safely tomorrow or day after. In total 29 persons have been rescued," he told a BJP election meeting in nearby Tripunithura.

The BJP-led NDA government has been 'very proactive' whenever Indian nationals are in distress, he said referring to the rescue of nurses in libya and of Fr Prem from the clutches of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Today, Kerala CM Oomen Chandy responded to the PM's 'proactive government' spiel saying, the Kerala government had to "push the Centre to act. In fact, we paid for travel."

Hours later foreign minister Sushma Swaraj lent her voice to the war of words tweeting: "Mr Chandy - We evacuated thousands of Indians from Kerala from Iraq, Libya and Yemen. Who paid for them ?

"We always did this because this is our pious duty towards our citizens.

"Mr Chandy - You started this debate - as to Who paid ? Not me."

Chandy  has also demanded an apology from PM Modi for comparing Kerala with Somalia.


Pic: In April 2105, India launched Operation Rahaat to rescue Indians stranded in Yemen.