A formal letter from CPI’s P. Sandosh Kumar to Amit Shah has ignited debate on Centre-state relations after the Wayanad landslides. The Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala condemns the Union Home Ministry’s refusal to grant special assistance post the July 2024 calamity, labeling it a betrayal of humanitarian principles.
On that fateful July 30, nature’s fury struck Wayanad’s Chooralmala, Mundakkai, and Meppadi regions. The death toll exceeded 400, with injuries, homelessness, and damages to property and infrastructure totaling crores. Kumar’s correspondence stresses the urgent need for Centre-led relief, unmet despite Kerala MPs’ persistent lobbying.
The LDF-led Kerala government stepped up admirably. Facing fiscal hurdles, it harnessed public solidarity to fast-track rehab projects. Nearly finished are self-sustaining colonies featuring durable homes, full amenities, social infrastructure, and economic rehabilitation schemes—ready for occupancy soon.
Kumar’s recent tour of these sites with LDF colleagues prompted the photo attachments in his letter, showcasing progress. He accuses the Centre of weaponizing aid, offering loans instead of grants to economically squeeze a politically non-aligned state.
This episode underscores Kerala’s fortitude. ‘Our people remain united and self-sufficient under LDF guidance,’ Kumar notes. True federalism, he argues, demands apolitical disaster response rooted in duty.
The MP beseeches Shah and the NDA to abandon partisanship, honoring impartiality, shared responsibilities, and core human values in crisis management.