New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS): BJP's prominent Christian leader in Kerala Anoop Antony Joseph has made serious allegations against the state's CPI-M-led government, accusing it of siphoning off funds intended for relief operations following the landslide in Wayanad. He said that the state government has the habit of frequently "misusing funds meant for relief operations".

Joseph said, "Kerala has not yet recovered from the shocking tragedy of the Wayanad landslide, but what is now more painful is the way the CPI-M govt of Kerala misused and embezzled the funds that were meant for relief."

He said, "The reports have very well shown how crores of crores have been misused, which was meant for the relief of the people of Wayanad. It is unimaginable... Rs 75,000 were spent on the funeral of each who has lost their life in Wayanad...Rs 12 crore was spent on the food of the volunteers..."

The BJP leader further said, "Similarly, crores and crores have been misused by the (state) government in the name of relief... Similar things happened during the 2018 floods also... The state government always uses these disasters as an opportunity for corruption and financial gains..."

The Kerala government, however, has denied the allegations saying there is no truth in this. It said that the estimates are being misrepresented.

Meanwhile, the Congress has described the estimates which were submitted to the High Court as "unrealistic" saying that it was made by someone who had no clue.

“The so-called memorandum submitted to the Centre points out that bodies were interred and a cost has been attributed, while the fact of the matter known to all is that it was done in a plot of land donated by a plantation company. The entire work at that time was done by volunteers of the local legislator. This is not the way a memorandum should be prepared and if it’s given like this, then what should rightfully come also won't," said Kerala leader of the opposition V.D. Satheesan.