Pinarayi Vijayan seeks PM Modi's intervention to bring bodies of non-COVID NRKs from Gulf

Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala chief minister, wrote to PM Narendra Modi for his intervention in bringing bodies of Keralites, who died in the Gulf countries due to non-COVID-19 reasons  

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention. He requested help in bringing bodies of Keralites, who died in the Gulf countries due to non-COVID-19 reasons, to the state without any delay for performing last rites in their home towns.

In a letter, he requested PM Modi to direct Indian embassies to issue necessary clearances without seeking individual approvals from the ministry of home affairs. The intention is to avoid any delay so that the remains reach Kerala early, he said.

It had been learnt that a 'clearance certificate' from the Indian embassies concerned was required to process the application for bringing home the bodies.

The embassies are insisting on production of no-objection certificate from the Union ministry of home affairs, he said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media here on Friday.

The Centre had already agreed that in case the deaths are not COVID-related, such certificates are not necessary.

The bodies are now being brought in the cargo planes as passenger flights are not being operated due to the lockdown.

The chief minister said he had received several grievances from the NRKs (Non-residential Keralite) in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on the delay in bringing home the bodies of those who died there.

"They are already under tremendous stress and anxiety due to the lockdown imposed in those countries and the consequent stoppage of international flights," Vijayan said.