Wayanad(Kerala), Aug 2: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday described the landslides in Wayanad district of Kerala as a “terrible tragedy” of such magnitude that the state has not seen till now in a single area, and said it “demands a unique and urgent response”.
The Congress MP said he would raise the matter in Delhi and also with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as “this is a different level of tragedy and should be treated differently”.
Right now the focus is on finding the bodies and potential survivors, making sure the displaced persons are comfortable in the camps, and rehabilitating them, he said.
The Congress MP said that rehabilitation is going to be very important, as a lot of the survivors told him they did not want to go back to the landslide-hit areas.
“So, I think it is important that they are rehabilitated in a safe area and are not forced to go back. These are the things that we have already raised with the Government of Kerala,” he said.
He also promised that the Congress party would build more than 100 houses in Wayanad.
The Congress MP later in a post on social media platform X said he would raise the issue of the devastating tragedy suffered by Wayanad with both the union and state governments as it “demands a unique and urgent response”.
“Kerala has never witnessed a tragedy in one area as devastating as the one in Wayanad this time. I will raise this issue with both the union and state governments, as this tragedy demands a unique and urgent response.
“Our immediate focus is on rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts. The Congress family is committed to building over 100 houses here. We are dedicated to ensuring that all possible assistance is provided to our brothers and sisters in this time of need,” he said on X.
Prior to speaking to reporters, Gandhi along with Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior Congress leaders attended a meeting with officials of the district administration and the panchayat.
The officials briefed them about the number of deaths, the houses destroyed and their strategies to search for and rescue people.
