Daijiworld Media Network - Wayanad
Wayanad, Feb 26: In a heartfelt outreach to families affected by the Chooralmala–Mundakkai landslide in Wayanad, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday laid the foundation stone for 100 houses being constructed by the Congress party for disaster survivors.
Addressing beneficiaries, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra 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, reflecting on the loss of homes, livelihoods, schools, and businesses overnight. She highlighted the courage and unity displayed by residents across religious communities.
Though she was not the MP at the time, Priyanka said she now feels part of the community. “Between then and now, I have become a part of your family,” she noted, remembering conversations with farmers who had been forced into daily wage work and traders who lost their shops. She added that the party had raised the disaster issue in Parliament, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking a national disaster declaration, and written to the Prime Minister.
The housing project will provide 1,100 sq ft homes on eight cents of land each. Of the land required, 3.25 acres have been acquired with sale deeds executed, while negotiations for another 2.18 acres and five additional acres are underway. Priyanka also announced financial support of Rs 5 lakh for 40 affected shopkeepers to restart their businesses.
Rahul Gandhi praised the resilience and compassion of Wayanad residents, saying, “You lost a lot, but not your courage or your humanity,” and described the foundation-laying ceremony as a tribute to those who died in the disaster.
Adding a lighter touch to the event, he shared a playful sibling moment with Priyanka during their journey, eliciting laughter from the audience. “The moment we landed here, she changed. That’s what Wayanad means to us,” he said, underscoring that their connection to the district transcends politics.