Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday laid the foundation stone for 100 houses to be constructed by the Congress party for the victims of the 2024 Wayanad landslides at Kunnambetta in Meppadi panchayat.
On the occasion, the Congress leader praised the resilience and compassion of Wayanad residents, saying, “You lost a lot, but not your courage or your humanity.”
Describing the foundation-laying ceremony as a tribute to those who died in the disaster, Rahul Gandhi assured the affected families that the Congress party would always stand with those who had lost everything in the tragedy. “In this process of recovery and healing, the Congress is with you. The Congress workers will stand with you whenever you need help,” he assured.
During his speech, he shared an incident where he and his sister had a small argument. “The other day, Priyanka and I had a small argument. Then Priyanka got into a fight with me. But when we reached Wayanad, that argument suddenly changed. That is the magic and love of Wayanad,” Rahul said.
Speaking on the occasion, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi recalled her first visit to the area following the tragedy on July 30, 2024. “What I saw that day will never leave me,” she said , adding that “between then and now, I have become a part of your family.”
“I was not the MP from Wayanad at the time, Now, I feel part of the community. Between then and now, I have become a part of your family,” she said.
During the event, a financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh each was provided to 40 shop owners from Chooralmala and Mundakkai who did not receive government aid. The traders had earlier met Priyanka Gandhi and apprised her of their difficulties, following which the assistance was arranged.
The Congress is planning to construct the houses on around five acres of land at Meppadi. In the first phase, 50 houses would be constructed within six months. The construction of the remaining 50 houses would be taken up soon , said Congress leaders. The beneficiaries will be people who were excluded by the government due to technical reasons
Earlier in the day, addressing farmers’ convention at Peravoor town in the Kannur district, Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of destroying the foundation of India by allegedly agreeing to open the agriculture sector to the United States and vowed that farmers would not be sacrificed for political or financial interests.