Many states along the length and breadth of India are reeling from the effect of floods which have impacted life and property. Kerala might have been the worst hit followed by states in the the North East but other states in North India like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar too have been severely affected. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took an aerial survey of the affected areas where raging waters have crossed or reached dangerous levels. Gonda, Balrampur and other districts were covered by CM Yogi where he went ahead to meet the people affected from floods and also took stock of the relief and rescue works in the state. While the governments of all the states have been doing their bid to help the flood affected victims there seems to be a CM who has flown away from his home state leaving the relief and rescue work in the hands of the others. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has flown away to America to get his medical treatment.
Kerala is still reeling from the effects of the most devastating floods the state has ever seen. The rising waters of the rivers coupled with the heavy rainfall in the monsoon season have wreaked havoc almost all over the state. All 14 districts of the state were put on red alert as the floods claimed more than 500 lives and the death toll is still rising owing to diseases breaking out. The Indian Army and Navy have performed exceptionally well by providing rescue and relief work in the state around the clock. The Kerala Government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan set up a donation website for flood victims, which has collected in excess of Rs 1,000 crore from residents, corporate houses of the country. It is therefore surprising that the CM of Kerala has chosen to leave his people at this hour of deep crisis when his presence could have made a hell of a difference to the speed and execution of relief work.
Various reports and studies have come out in the recent times stating that the Kerala floods were more of a man made disaster caused due to negligence than a natural one. As the head of the state CM Pinarayi Vijayan is yet to apologise or even offer an explanation to the people of Kerala. According to the media reports, “Pinarayi Vijayan will be in New York for three weeks. There is no report on the nature of his ailment.” Minister of Industries EP Jayarajan will chair the Cabinet meetings and also oversee the proceedings of the CM Relief Distress Fund. With that, one tends to think, was it really necessary for the CM to leave his state at a time when the people have barely managed to recover from the devastating effects of the floods?
In a stark contrast, CM Yogi Adityanath has chosen to stick with the people of his state and himself went to the distribution and relief camps which have been set up to provide shelter, food and medicines to the people. CM Yogi declared to the public a financial assistance of RS 4 lakhs for the survivors of boat collapse, snake bites, wild animal attacks and other victims. He has also promised that if the need arises the waters from Ghaghra will turn the speed towards the mainstream.
There is a huge difference between words without action and words which are followed by swift and decisive action, the same difference which is now being felt exists between CM Pinarayi and CM Yogi. Two chief ministers with very different approach towards helping affected people, while one asked others for help and contribution the other one is providing them with his own hands to the people of his state. The presence of the Chief Minister definitely boosts the morale of the affected people and the workers who are working around the clock, the government machinery which is prone to becoming lax remains active as soon as the head of the state is amidst. The residents of Kerala should and must look at the way in which two ideologically different Chief Ministers are standing up to their responsibility and take it as a lesson for the years to come.
