Last Updated:
Kerala government had announced Rs 10 crore financial aid for Turkey after 2023 earthquake. Two years later, Tharoor reminded the state government of its “misplaced generosity”.
Shashi Tharoor reminds Kerala govt of its Rs 10 crore aid to Turkey (PTI Image)
Raking up Kerala government’s Rs 10 crore financial assistance to Turkey shortly after the 2023 devastating earthquake, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday hoped that the Pinarayi Vijayan administration “reflects on its misplaced generosity” after Ankara responded to New Delhi’s ‘Operation Dost’ with backing Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
Sharing a news article published more than two years ago, he said that the sanctioned Rs 10 crore could have been used in Wayanad after the landslides, which killed over 250 people and left several injured.
“I hope the Govt of Kerala reflects on its misplaced generosity, after seeing Turkey’s behaviour two years later!” Tharoor posted on X.
I hope the Govt of Kerala reflects on its misplaced generosity, after seeing Turkey’s behaviour two years later! https://t.co/NSaZij9eaENot to mention that the people of Wayanad (just to take one Kerala example) could have used those ten crores far better….— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 23, 2025
Thousands of people were killed while several buildings came crashing down as a 7.8-magnitude earthquake created mayhem in Turkey and neighbouring Syria on February 6, 2023.
Soon after the tragedy, India had launched ‘Operation Dost’ to assist in the rescue and relief operation in Turkey and deployed its armed forces on the job. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed solidarity with the people of Turkey in the hour of grief and tragedy.
In return, Turkey, in 2025, when tragedy struck India on April 22 after a terror attack on civilians in Pahalgam, ditched New Delhi and backed Islamabad against Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian armed forces on May 7 to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack.
Tharoor took to X to remind the Kerala government of Turkey’s betrayal and said, “Not to mention that the people of Wayanad (just to take one Kerala example) could have used those ten crores far better.”
Back in 2023, the Kerala government had sanctioned Rs 10 crore to assist Turkey. “The earthquake in Turkiye, which had shocked the consciousness of the world, claimed tens of thousands of lives and left lakhs of people destitute,” State Finance Minister K N Balagopal had said then.
The state government had also announced financial assistance for Ankara in its budget, which was presented two days after the earthquake.
- First Published:
