Pinarayi Vijayan urges Malayalis in Middle East to heed to safety notices

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday requested Malayalis living in conflict zones in the Middle East to follow the safety guidelines issued by the Ministry of External Affairs and NORKA Roots (Non-Resident Keralites Affairs).
Speaking at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayan stressed the importance of adhering to these instructions as tensions between Israel and Iran escalated.
“Imperialism is once again setting the stage for another war in the Middle East,” he said, voicing strong criticism against Israel’s actions in the region.
He stated that Israel’s aggressive stance, despite global public opinion and a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for its withdrawal, was pushing the Middle East towards a full-scale war.
The Chief Minister accused Israel of ignoring international calls for peace and singled out the United States and NATO for continuing to support Israel’s “atrocities in Palestine.”
“We are at a time when we don’t know if the world is going into a war,” said Vijayan, expressing concern about the worsening situation.
At the press conference, the Kerala Chief Minister also criticised the central government for its inadequate response to the Wayanad landslides, which claimed several lives and caused massive damage.
Vijayan stated that Kerala had requested an emergency relief fund of Rs 291 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), but so far, only Rs 145.6 crore had been sanctioned, and this was not specific to the disaster.
Vijayan urged the Centre to release the necessary funds promptly, stating that Kerala is still reeling from the devastation caused by the landslides.