Kerala CM seeks Modi’s help to bring back bodies of NRIs from Gulf who didn’t die of COVID-19

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in bringing back bodies of those Keralites who died in Gulf countries of reasons other than COVID-19 infection.

“I would like to draw your attention to the grievances received from Non-resident Keralites Associations (NRKs) in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on the delay caused in bringing home the mortal remains of NRKs who had expired due to reasons other than the COVID-19 infection,” read the letter by the CM.

“It is learnt that a ‘clearance certificate’ from the Indian Embassies is required to process the application of bringing home the mortal remains of the dead. The Embassies are insisting on the production of a no-objection certificate from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), New Delhi,” it read.

The letter also mentions that the government of India has already agreed that the mortal remains, in cases where the deaths are not due to COVID-19 infection such certificates are not necessary. And the mortal remains are brought in the cargo planes.

“To enable to bring back the bodies of the NRIs whose deaths occurred due to reasons other than COVID-19 infection, without necessary procedural hassles, I request your kind intervention,” read the letter further.