PM decided against taking aid on his own

'Group of ministers for relief operations too did not know about it'

India's refusal to take foreign aid for relief and rehabilitation work in the tsunami-hit areas has surprised many, including members of the Union Cabinet.

Some of them are members of the Group of Ministers constituted to oversee the relief operations. Not just that, there was a difference of opinion in the Union Cabinet meeting on whether to declare the tsunami tragedy a national calamity.

The decision, not to go in for foreign aid, was taken on Monday, after a bit more was known about the scale of the tragedy. It was later conveyed to the Cabinet.

According to sources, the decision was taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and that there was no discussion about this in the Cabinet. "It was not even discussed, of course that is the prerogative of the Prime Minister," said a senior minister.

The reasons for not taking aid was given as general self sufficiency of the country, but the sub-text was clear""India was making a distinction between itself, a knowledge super power, and the rest of the developing nations in south Asia hit by the disaster.

"The aid being advanced by developing counties is strings-free, yet, this was a principled stand taken by the Prime Minister. Also, by rushing aid to The Maldives and Sri Lanka, a message was given out that rather than petitioning for assisstance, we are in a position to extend it as well," said a senior minister.

"Actually, the loss from the tsunami is more of the kind, which cannot be replaced, that of life and limb. In terms of material loss, it is within our capacity to make up for it," said the minister. While no discussion took place on foreign aid, there was a difference of opinion on whether the tsunami disaster should be termed a national calamity.

Technically, if a natural disaster takes place, and is declared a national calamity, the Central government takes over all relief and rehabilitation work, cutting out the state government from the middle. This was precisely the reason, said Cabinet sources, Dayanidhi Maran, telecommunication minister, wanted the tsunami disaster to be declared a national calamity.

"The issue was discussed at a Cabinet meeting and it was finally left to the Prime Minister, who put his foot down, saying that the state government should not be cut out from the relief work," added another source.

While the coalition dharma can make most decisions appear to be an approximation of what they should be, Singh has displayed nerves of steel in the face of catastrophe. The DMK, an important ally of the government, has had its way in most cases, but not this one.