Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad and AICC General Secretary, on Saturday criticised the Centre for being “not very forthcoming” in extending financial assistance to survivors of the July 2024 landslides, even as she welcomed the pace and quality of rehabilitation work in the district.
Addressing the media during her visit, the Congress leader said she was “very happy” to see the progress on the ground and expressed satisfaction with the standard of housing being constructed.“Looks to me like the quality of at least the house that I have seen is good. Anything that is done for those who have survived such a terrible tragedy will make us all happy. I have no adverse comment,” she said.
When asked whether the rehabilitation effort could serve as a model for the country, she said she would refrain from comparisons.“Honestly, I haven’t seen others, so I can’t say,” she said, adding that one suggestion she had was to plant more trees in the township area.
On the involvement of various stakeholders, she observed that governments typically have greater financial resources and quicker access to permits and clearances.“Obviously, we are all making an effort,” she said, noting that the Indian National Congress has committed to constructing 100 houses and recently launched its housing initiative in the presence of Rahul Gandhi.
She acknowledged that the party’s project took time due to the need for necessary permissions and clearances.She also pointed out that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) had constructed houses for affected families and described the rehabilitation process as a “collective effort,” appreciating the contributions of political parties as well as the government.
However, she was critical of the Centre’s response to the disaster.“The Centre has not been very forthcoming,” she said, adding that the matter had been raised repeatedly in Parliament.She said she had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with other MPs from Kerala to press for greater assistance.
While the demand to declare the tragedy a national disaster was not accepted, she said it was later categorised as one of “severe nature” following sustained representations.On whether the issue could become a political plank ahead of elections, Vadra said some degree of political discussion was natural.“If you have done something, you will talk about it. If you haven’t done anything, there is nothing to talk about,” she remarked.
Responding to questions on financial contributions, she clarified that Congress MPs opted to directly assist victims through independent housing initiatives instead of routing funds to the state government’s township project. She emphasised that the priority was to provide tangible and timely assistance to affected families.