Kerala government has come under fire from opposition parties for issuing order requesting Science and Technology institutions in the state not to undertake any field visits without taking prior permission from Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala hit out at Pinarayi Vijayan led LDF government in the state for issuing "Talibani Fatwa/ gag order banning scientists from visiting Wayanad disaster sites, sharing views."
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), BJP spokesperson wrote, "What Kerala government does not want us to know about the this man made disaster."
Criticising Kerala govt, he said, "That it deliberately ignored early warning signals from agencies at the Centre given on 23rd,24th,25th,26th,.. right up to D-day."
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"Despite the area being ecologically sensitive rampant illegal construction was allowed. Illegal resorts came up & state govt & MP allowed this," he added.
He shared the note issued by SDMA and two video messages - one in Hindi and another in English - criticising the Kerala government.
CM Vijayan withdraws the direction
After receiving criticism from every quarter, CM Pinarayi Vijayan directed Chief Secretary V. Venu to withdraw a controversial note issued by the SDMA. The note restrained science and technology institutions in the state from sharing their opinions and study reports with the media regarding the recent deadly landslides in Wayanad.
Vijayan issued statement saying SDMA news about SDMA is misleading. "The state government does not have such a policy," the CM said.
"The Chief Secretary has been directed to immediately intervene and withdraw the communication that conveyed such a message," he said.
