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.

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.

Mr.Chandy - We evacuated thousands of Indians from Kerala from Iraq, Libya and Yemen. Who paid for them ?

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 12, 2016

Mr.Chandy - You said 'Kerala paid for 29 Indians evacuated from Libya.'

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 12, 2016

Mr.Chandy - You started this debate - as to Who paid ? Not me. We always did this because this is our pious duty towards our citizens.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 12, 2016

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