TO ACCEPT, OR NOT TO ACCEPT

Opinion over whether India should decline Foreign Aid for flood-ravaged Kerala has split down the middle.

On a day of Ministry of External Affairs clarified that India will not be accepting the 7000 cr rupee aid offered by the UAE, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Issac referred to what the national disaster management plan states on accepting Foreign Aid. The plan finalized by the Modi government in 2016, states in chapter 9: As a matter of policy, the government of India does not issue any appeal for foreign assistance in the wake of a disaster. However, if the national government of another county voluntarily offers assistance as a goodwill gesture in solidarity with the disaster victim, the central government may accept the offer.

We asked Union Gov for financial support of ₹2200 Cr ; they grant us a precious ₹600 Cr . We make no request to any foreign gov but UAE gov voluntarily offer ₹700cr. No, says Union gov , it is below our dignity to accept foreign aid. This is a dog in the manger policy.

— Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) August 22, 2018

Following the 2004 Tsunami, Manmohan Singh government had declined to accept aid from the United States of America. But, prior to this, India has accepted Foreign Aids during Bihar flood of 2004, the Gujarat earthquake of 2001 or way back the lathur earthquake of 1993.

Many politicians, as well as diplomats, came forward to differ with the decision made by the Central Government.