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The Union government's release of a meagre Rs 260.5 crore under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) against Kerala’s requested package of Rs 2,219 crore towards Wayanad’s relief and rehabilitation has drawn severe criticism.
In the Wayanad landslides, which occurred in 2024, over 230 people were killed and 128 went missing. The estimated losses were pegged at Rs 1200 crore. The Union government is facing accusations of bias as the BJP-ruled Assam and Maharashtra were allotted Rs 1270.7 crore and Rs 1,492 crore, respectively, towards flood relief. This was pointed out by the All India Congress Committee general secretary and MP KC Venugopal in a press statement.
Accusing the BJP of discriminating against Kerala, Venugopal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Wayanad following the landslide tragedy turned out to be “a photoshoot managed by PR agencies.” The Congress leader added that though Modi “shed crocodile tears” before the camera, he completely ignored Kerala’s demand thereafter.
Venugopal asked the Union Ministers from Kerala – George Kurian and Suresh Gopi – to clarify if they concurred with this approach. “There are two Union ministers from Kerala. Both should clarify whether this approach towards Kerala is acceptable. They should respond to whether they have any conscience, initiative, or interest in the disaster-affected people who are being ignored and sidelined. Will both of them be willing to correct the central govt's stance?” he asked.
Similarly, Kalpetta MLA T Siddique sharply criticised the allocation as 'grossly inadequate'. The Congress legislator accused the Union government of lacking even basic humanitarian concern.
Not just the Opposition, residents of Wayanad have also expressed outrage against the Union government’s alleged indifference towards them. “We lost everything in one night — our homes, our families, our land. The Prime Minister promised us that rehabilitation would never stall because of money. But today we are drowning in debt, and this relief is meaningless,” Naseer Alackal, chairman of the Janashabdham survivors’ committee in Mundakkai, was quoted as saying by the New Indian Express.