New Delhi/Palakkad: The recent responses of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on the matter related to Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who faces a death sentence for murdering a Yemeni national, have added to the uncertainty over the ongoing negotiation attempts. The questions came up twice; in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and were raised by Kerala MPs Dean Kuriakose and John Brittas. A statement by Kirti Vardhan Singh, the Minister of State for External Affairs, saying that her release is a matter between the families of the victim and Nimisha Priya, has sparked concerns.

On February 7, Dean Kuriakose sought details on whether the Government has taken any action to ensure that blood money is being paid to ensure the safe release of Nimisha Priya and if it has received any request to intervene in her favour. The Minister replied that the matter regarding any consideration towards the release of Nimisha Priya is between the family of the deceased and her family. He said this even while repeating responses that had been furnished earlier, such as giving the highest priority to the welfare of Indians abroad and providing all possible support for those in distress. He also acknowledged that the government has received representations regarding her case.

On February 13, John Brittas MP raised the matter again, this time in Rajya Sabha. The response was almost the same. The Minister reiterated that the release of Nimisha Priya is a matter that needs to be settled between families. This prompted an intense reaction from Brittas. "The Government has washed its hands of Nimisha Priya's case. The Minister is misguided. When he says that release of Nimisha Priya is a matter between families, the fact is that as per Yemeni law, the families cannot interact directly and you need to have a negotiator," he said in the parliament.

It is not the first time that the MEA has referred to the issue as a family matter. On July 7, 2024, Dean Kuriakose raised the same query on blood money and Kirti Vardhan Singh's reply read, "The matter regarding the payment of blood money towards the release of Nimisha Priya is between the family of the deceased and Nimisha Priya’s family". Earlier, MEA left it for families to decide on blood money, and now the same reply is being applied to her release.

Subash Chandra, a lawyer and member of the Save Nimisha Priya Action Council, who had always advocated for Ministry's intervention in the matter, expressed his disappointment. "The Indian government's reluctance to engage with the rebel Houthi government in Northern Yemen could be because of the fact that doing so would legitimise them. But for us, this is a matter of life. We have repeatedly requested the Indian government to take the initiative. We are willing to source the funds the way we did before, but there is not much that individuals or organisations can do in this case. Due to the travel ban, people cannot travel to Yemen, and there is no Indian diaspora or organisation to facilitate the process. It is up to the government to take action," he said.

A sum of 40,000 dollars was paid in two instalments as pre-negotiation money to facilitate the negotiation process. The amount was sourced by the action council from donors and the general public.

The Minister also told the parliament that the government had arranged a transfer of 40000 dollars, and further procedures are happening between families. He, however, doesn't reply on the limited role of families as flagged by Brittas. "It is a very sensitive matter. Any discussion could impact the outcome of the case," Singh said.

Mahdi al-Mashat, the President of the rebel Houthis' Supreme Political Council, recently ratified Nimisha Priya's death sentence. Samuel Jerome, a human rights activist who holds the power of attorney of Nimisha Priya's mother Prema Kumari has told Onmanorama that attempts are being made to bring the victim's family to the negotiation table.