Thiruvananthapuram, August 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday criticised the V.D. Satheesan-led government over its handling of the recent rain and flood situation, questioning both its disaster response and its sensitivity towards families affected by the tragedy.
Addressing a press conference, Vijayan said it was unacceptable that ministers took more than 10 days to visit the homes of people who had lost family members and property in the disaster.
He argued that relief and rehabilitation could not be confined to official meetings, files and government announcements when affected families were still coping with their losses.
Vijayan said the delay in visiting bereaved families reflected a failure to appreciate the humanitarian and emotional dimensions of the crisis.
His criticism, however, comes against the backdrop of similar questions raised over his own government’s response to disasters during his tenure as Chief Minister. Vijayan had faced criticism over the timing of his visit to areas affected by Cyclone Ockhi in 2017, particularly as families of missing fishermen were seeking information about their loved ones.
During Wednesday’s interaction with the media, Vijayan was also asked about the controversy surrounding football star Lionel Messi, which has been making headlines in Kerala. He gave a brief response, saying there was nothing wrong with the Messi episode, without elaborating further.
Vijayan, who rarely held press conferences during his decade in power, has maintained a more regular interaction with the media since moving into the Opposition. He now addresses the media roughly once a week and sometimes more frequently.
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