Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday came out against Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav for blaming the state’s policies for the landslides in Wayanad.

Speaking to media persons here, Pinarayi Vijayan said the Union Minister Bhupender Yadav is levelling false allegations, without even the slightest understanding of the hilly region of Kerala.

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Chief Minister Vijayan accused the Union Minister Yadav of humiliating those who died in landslides through his statements.

“Some are using the tragedy for their narrow interest. Such is the statement of the Union Environment Minister,” he said.

The Chief Minister also asked if those killed in the Wayanad landslides were illegal immigrants.

“The Union Minister is insulting the people who have been affected by such a calamity by making such false accusations. Who are the illegal immigrants here? Are the workers of the estate who were affected by this disaster? Or ordinary people who lived on their little piece of land? Those who have even the slightest understanding of the hilly region of Kerala cannot label the people living there as illegal immigrants,” CM Vijayan said.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Monday, blamed the Kerala government for “allowing illegal habitation and mining” which he claimed, led to the horrific landslides in Wayanad.

“The number one reason for the landslide was habitation. Number two was illegal mining with the protection of the local government and it’s very shameful,” Bhupender Yadav said.