The opposition Congress in Kerala is upping the ante against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government over the fate of the expatriates stranded abroad.
Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy on Monday urged the government to retract the decision to make COVID negative certificate mandatory for expatriates in the Gulf countries who wish to return to Kerala.
Chandy said the government was attempting to create a division between expatriates and other Keralites.
"The government's stance looks like the expatriates do not deserve the importance and facilities given to the guest workers in the state," Chandy said.
He said the quarantine facilities for those returning to the state were also inadequate.
"If the government is reluctant to listen to the opposition, the chief minister should call a few expatriates and ask them about the difficulties they are facing. He should also listen to some returnees about their experiences after coming back to the state.
Chandy said the government's insistence to make COVID negative certificate mandatory would result in expatriates choking to death in foreign countries.
The government has made the certificate mandatory for those returning to the state from June 25. The earlier deadline was June 20. The decision was taken in the wake of COVID-19 cases increasing in the state with the influx of returnees from abroad and other states.
The Supreme Court has refused to interfere in the matter saying it cannot interfere in policy decisions of the government.
