Declare Wayanad Landslides A National Disaster, Enhance Compensation: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday urged the Central government to declare the deadly Wayanad landslides as a national disaster and also enhance compensation package for those affected in the Kerala district.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha raised the issue during Zero Hour, and asked the Narendra Modi-headed government to provide a comprehensive rehabilitation package for hundreds of dead and missing, and help the affected communities.

Rahul, who resigned from the Wayanad Parliamentary seat to retain the Raebareli constituency after winning both in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, said that more than 200 people have been killed and a vast number are missing, but the eventual causality was going to be over 400.

“I saw with my own eyes the devastation, the pain and suffering that resulted from this tragedy. Almost 2 km of the hill has just collapsed and almost a river of stones, a river of mud has come down,” Rahul said, sharing the experience of his recent visit to landslide-affected areas with his sister and fellow-Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Rahul lauded the work being done by the Centre and Kerala government, and the different departments to facilitate relief and rescue operations, as well as neighbouring states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

He observed that it was great to see people from all communities and different ideologies coming together to help people in distress.