Kochi: The Congress has alleged that an all-party delegation of MPs from Kerala, that wanted to meet the prime minister to seek assistance for the flood-hit state, was denied permission to meet him.
The delegation, headed by former defence minister A K Antony and comprising MPs from Congress-led UDF and CPM-led LDF, were denied permission by the Prime Minister's Office though they had given a letter on August 27, seeking an appointment with Modi, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal alleged.
Venugopal, representing flood-hit Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency, said he received a telephone call from the Home Minister's Office Monday, saying that the PMO has forwarded the request to the home minister, asking him to meet Kerala MPs.
Venugopal said that there was no point in meeting Rajnath Singh again as the delegation had already met him and Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
Venugopal described the PMO's decision as 'undemocratic.'
"We are the elected representatives and we believe that we have every right to meet the prime minister to place the people's grievances before him. But he decided not to meet us. It is an insult to the people of Kerala," Venugopal said.
He said the MPs wanted to place certain demands, including grant of more financial aid to flood-hit Kerala and removal of a clause from a government policy decision that prevents India from accepting foreign aid as disaster relief.
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