Kerala Floods: Politics, Rumor Mongering and Ridiculous Jeering

According to some at social media, floods in Kerala is caused because women wanted to enter the Sabarimala temple while Sunny Leone has donated INR 5 crores for the help of victims.

While humans are suffering from the merciless floods in Kerala, the humanity seems depraved by politics, rumor mongering and ridiculous jeering.

Politics over human life

Politics is abuzz after several reports saying that the Modi Government has asked Kerala government to pay the bills for the extra food supply given by them.

Twitter and Facebook are buzzing around the news that the central government has given a bill of INR 233 crore for the food grains supplied to flood-affected areas to the state government of Kerala with a demand to pay it immediately.

A news website Kaumudi says that a report has been sent to Kerala government asking for the payment of INR 233 crores. Apart from this, the report also points to the position of Centre to deduct the stated amount from the INR 600 crores announced for the Kerala disaster fund in case state government fails to pay the bill for food grains.

The report quotes the letter as:

"Kerala can accept the deal within one month. Rs 25 will be charged per kilogram. If Kerala fails to pay the cost, the State will be excluded from schemes under Food Safety Act or the amount will be debited from National Disaster Relief Fund."

Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday said that the Central Government has decided to send an additional 89,540 tonnes of grain to the flood-affected Kerala. Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Kerala receives 1,18,000 tonnes of food grains per month but this does not include the entire population.

"Therefore, we are sending an additional 89,540 tonnes of grains. Apart from this, we have sent 100 tonnes of pulses, now 80 tonnes is being supplied daily…", the minister said adding that government wants to reach to every person in the state.

Under NFSA, 75 percent of the rural population and 50 percent of the urban population receive subsidized cereals, in which every month a person can buy INR 5, INR 3, INR 2 and INR 1 per kg, rice, wheat and other coarse grains.

Paswan said that the Ministry has not decided who will bear the expenditure on the supply of additional grains. "It is in the early stages. The issue of paying the bill is not a matter of concern. Food grains can be supplied up to three months."

Earlier, Congress has demanded to declare the floods in Kerala as a national calamity. Congress national president Rahul Gandhi said that Kerala flood should be declared a national calamity without delay to which Minister Alphons Kannanthanam refused. The Tourism Minister said that there is no provision in the Disaster Management Act 2005 to do so.

Dear PM,Please declare #Kerala floods a National Disaster without any delay. The lives, livelihood and future of millions of our people is at stake.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 18, 2018

Following the announcement by the Prime Minister, the Kerala Chief Minister's Office tweeted that an urgent demand of INR 2 thousand crores from the PM had been made, out of which the PM announced a sum of Rs. 500 crores.

In the style of strain in the tweet, it thanked the Prime Minister for this help. CM Pinarai Vijayan informed the Prime Minister that there was a loss of Rs 19 thousand 512 crore in the state.

The Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an assistance of ₹500 crore. CM had requested an immediate assistance of ₹2000 crore. We express our thanks to Centre for the assistance. @PMOIndia @narendramodi

— CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 18, 2018

A video has been viral in which son of Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, HD Revanna is seen throwing biscuit packets to flood victims in Hassan district. Now there is a controversy over this issue.

Revanna has been described as insensitive on social media. Although Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has defended his brother and said there was a lack of space, so Revanna had to throw the packets.

Karnataka CM brother, minister HD revanna throws biscuit to flood victims. 😡 pic.twitter.com/Gl6XgbamMr

— Vivek Shetty (@vivekshettym) August 20, 2018

Another controversy emerged when the Indian government humbly refused the assistance of INR 700 crore offered by the UAE for the flood-affected Kerala. Official sources said that the government considered the decision to depend only on domestic efforts to deal with this situation. The amount promised by the foreign nation is larger than the Modi government, which sparkled the politics around the topic.

Rumour Mongering

Rumors are viral on who donated how much for the flood-affected state. According to the social media, Sunny Leone has donated INR 5 crores for the help of victims.

When one of the media houses talked to Sunny Leone's team, they had a clear say, "Sunny does not want to talk about this and she does not want to tell how much she has donated. According to Sunny, this is a very personal matter and her prayers are with the people of Kerala, fans are very happy with Sunny's initiative."

One user wrote on Twitter:

Sunny Leone donates 5 crores for Kerala relief fund. Where are our Bollywood celebrities? Where is Ram Dev, Shri Shri Ravishankar, Ambani, and others businessman in this critical time? Compare donation money of various state government with a donation by Sunny Leone!

Sunny Leone donate 5 crore for Kerala relief fund .Where is our Bollywood celebrities ?Where is ram dev , shri shri ravishankar, AMBANI ,and others business man in this critical time. Compare donation money of various state government with Sunny Leone donation .

— Dr Arun Kumar Jayant (@ArunKumarJayan3) August 19, 2018

There is also a story running around on social media about Ronaldo donating INR 77 crores for Kerala flood victims. Fans are overwhelmed by this news and Twitter is buzzing around with reactions.

However, there is no official confirmation yet received by the player. Although Ronaldo is famous for his philanthropic works. In the present time, it looks like it is just a hoax.

Ridiculous Jeering

A report published by News18.com states that some elements in society chose to blame the deluge on the most offensively bigoted thing imaginable - eating beef. Amid all the destruction, loss and the mad rush to rescue people stuck on rooftops and even inside their flooded homes, some people claimed that the calamity was spurred on by 'Malayalis who ate beef'. According to them, 'God's Own Country' spurned the gods by eating beef. Some went as far as to say that Kerala deserved the disaster as it had not yet banned beef.

Cleansing in ProgressRiver returned the garbage back to us Pic from Malayattoor - Kodanadu Bridge#KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/Rcrh2YUx1n

— HaindavaKeralam (@HKupdate) August 18, 2018

What help? Most are working outside Kerala, in Gulf etc. Islamic organizations and Churches take good care of these Commies! Try helping them with food to survive and they will ask for beef curry. Lol https://t.co/DsHWKZIsPm

— Vibhuti (@victorvibhu) August 18, 2018

Another story, again by News18.com, reports that, according to some people on Twitter, the floods in Kerala is caused because women wanted to enter the Sabarimala temple and that has apparently angered Lord Ayyappa so much that he has caused massive destruction.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on the petitions challenging the restriction on the entry of menstruating women into Kerala's Sabarimala temple. Many on Twitter suggested that this is the reason why Kerala is facing floods right now.

@harishsalvee #SupremeCourtMeddling Entire Kerala is livid on those who interfered with the discipline of Sabrimala temple - Lord Ayyappa is angry & punishing Kerala for letting outsiders to meddle. Note that all rainfall is falling on Kerala dists and none in TN or Karnataka !

— rajji3351 (@rajji33512) August 18, 2018

Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple..No law is above God... If u permit everyone, he denies everyone. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/phk8HyvMg4

— Hari Prabhakaran (@HariIndic) August 17, 2018

A call to human conscience

Brave armed forces of the country are working relentlessly to put some solace on the wounds of flood-affected countrymen in Kerala. Financial assistance from various quarters is pouring in as well as a multitude of volunteers and NGOs are working day and night to help people in the flood-affected areas.

An unpretentious and emotive call is extended to all for being with people of Kerala, being with them solicitously, financially and physically.