Centre & State Fight Over Credit for Evacuating Indians From Libya

Sushma Swaraj and Oomen Chandy spar over who gets credit for Indians rescued from Libya.

The first batch of 18 Keralites, evacuated from Libya, uniting with their families and friends on their arrival at Kochi International Airport on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)

Twenty-nine Indians rescued from strife-torn Libya were brought back to India on Thursday morning.

Soon after, a war of words broke out between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy over who brought them back: Centre or State?

The controversy started when the nurses who landed from Libya told reporters at the Kochi airport that no government helped them.

Also Read: Indians Stranded in Strife-Torn Libya Finally Return Home

You ask their families how we were involved. I have been in constant touch with them. Their demand was just flight tickets. We could not arrange the tickets due to some technical reasons, so they arranged it and asked the government to pay. At the earliest, we will pay complete flight ticket charges.  

Oomen Chandy, Chief Minister, Kerala

Chandy further said though the families met central ministers, they received no help.

Following this, Swaraj put forth questions to Chandy on Twitter.

Though it took months to organise the evacuation, clearly not much time passed before conflict arose over who gets credit.