Kerala’s political corridors are buzzing after CPI Rajya Sabha member P. Sandosh Kumar fired off a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, lambasting the Centre for failing to provide special aid to Wayanad landslide survivors. Seven months after the July 30, 2024, disaster that claimed over 400 lives, the absence of central support has sparked outrage.
Landslides ravaged Chooralmala, Mundakkai, and Meppadi panchayats, leaving a trail of devastation: countless homes buried, livelihoods shattered, infrastructure crippled, and losses mounting to hundreds of crores. Kumar’s letter highlights how this ranked among Kerala’s darkest chapters, necessitating swift federal intervention.
Parliamentary appeals, state government pleas, and Kumar’s direct advocacy fell on deaf ears. No special grants or packages were forthcoming, which the MP brands as ‘inhuman indifference.’
Kerala didn’t wait. The LDF administration, battling a strained budget, mobilized collective efforts and citizen contributions to rebuild. Permanent rehabilitation colonies—complete with modern homes, utilities, community centers, and job support—are on the verge of completion. Handover to displaced families is imminent within a year and a half. Fresh from a site visit with LDF heads, Kumar included visuals in his missive.
Pointing fingers at the BJP, Kumar argues that loan-based aid exposes partisan motives, punishing Kerala for political defiance. This saga, he says, proves Keralites’ unity and strength under LDF stewardship.
Kumar calls for a federal rethink: disaster relief must be a constitutional imperative, not a political bargaining chip. He implores Shah to prioritize equity and humanity over vendettas, ensuring true cooperative governance.