Wayanad rehab: Priyanka promises to write to Kerala CM, pressure Centre

Wayanad, Dec 1 (PTI) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said she will write to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and put as much as pressure on the Centre to provide the rehabilitation of Wayanad landslide victims.

"I will be writing to the Chief Minister of Kerala and trying to put as much as pressure possible on the Centre as well to provide the rehabilitation that they deserved," she said while addressing a meeting at Kalpetta here.

"But I would like to urge both the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister to provide this rehabilitation, regardless of politics," she added.

The Congress general secretary said she would ask them to recognise that what happened there was beyond any kind of politics. "What happened here was a deep and devastating human tragedy," she stated.

Priyanka, who was on a two-day visit to the hill constituency after being elected, highlighted the issues of the massive landslide that hit here on July 30 along with launching a scathing attack against the BJP-led Centre.

Due to what happened in the landslide and the amount of publicity across India many people still believe that it is unsafe to come here but they don't realise the nature's fury concentrated in a very small geographical area and the rest is beautiful place and is absolutely safe to visit, she pointed out.

"We must make a special effort now to invite more tourists to show them that it is safe, it is beautiful and this is the best place to come," she urged.

Priyanka said, the UDF, the INDIA alliance and the Congress are engaged in a big battle to save the institutions of democracy from the destructiveness of the BJP and its policies.

Earlier, criticising the BJP-led Centre, she stated that today the fight is against the force that is weakening the rights of the people and handing over them to a few "businessmen friends." Addressing a meeting in Mananthavady here, she said, "We are fighting against a force that is doing everything in its power to destroy the institutions upon which our country was built." "Today we are fighting for the spirit of our nation, for the soul of India." She further said the fight was for the power and resources of this country to belong rightfully to its people.

During her speech, Priyanka recalled her meeting with a young Mohammed Hani, who is just 17 or 18 years old before the campaign, when she came here to visit the landslide hit areas.

"I met a young boy called Muhammad Hani, who lost every single member of his family except his grandmother. For six hours, during the landslide with flooding waters he had held his mother on his hand trying to save her. However, he had seen her being drowned," she said.

"When I came back for the election campaign and I was sending him a message, asking him what was his hobbies because I thought after the election I will send him something. This young boy who had lost everything just four months ago, send me a message back saying, my hobby is helping those who was suffering. He is brave but he has a heart of gold and he is compassionate," she said, adding the symbol of true values that India stands for lies here in Wayanad.

"I want each one of you to know that you are my responsibility. That I take your love with complete seriousness and it is my duty to fight for you to give you a better future in the next five years and ahead," she said adding that she came two days here to thank them all for the love and affection they have given to her.

"But after this, my real work will begin and we will work together to resolve all the issues that you are facing." Priyanka said her first task is to start learning Malayalam.

"Yesterday, in one of these meetings, somebody from the crowd said that I will come back. So, I promise to come so many times that you will get fed up with me. o please get used to seeing me," she added.

Responding to the queries from the crowd about whether she will stay here, Priyanka said, "I will definitely look into it.” In her address at Sulthan Bathery, the Congress MP alleged the BJP-led union government politicised the massive landslide. "People who are in power should recognise that a great tragedy has taken place and not play politics with it." She left for New Delhi after attending the meetings on Sunday.

Priyanka, accompanied by Rahul Gandhi, participated in public meetings at Mukkam in Thiruvambadi, Kaulai in Nikambur, Wandoor and Edavanna in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts which falls under the Wayanad Lok Sabha segment on Saturday.

Priyanka had scored her maiden electoral victory by winning the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a huge margin of 4,10,931 votes, which is bigger than the lead her brother Rahul secured when he won from the constituency during the Lok Sabha general elections held early this year. PTI