Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday opined that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government at the Centre should extend more aid and support to flood-battered Kerala.
“I think the Central Government should extend more support to Kerala. I think this is owed to the people of Kerala. It is their right. I am sad that the Central Government has not given as much aid as they should,” Gandhi said while interacting with media during his two-day visit to Kerala.
He further asserted that the Congress Party is doing as much as it can to help the people of Kerala. He said he has instructed his party to help in the relief work and reconstruction of houses.
“I have given clear instructions to the Congress Party that they should help in the reconstruction of houses. Of course, we are not in government so there are certain limitations. But, whatever we can do we will do. I am happy to see Congress active on that front,” he said.
“Kerala has suffered a tremendous tragedy and my role is to be with the people of Kerala. I’ve come here to get a sense of the people’s feelings. I have come here to get a sense of their emotions and I have come here as a support. I have not come here to politicise the situation. This is not what I want to do,” he added.
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The Congress Chief further said that the compensation of Rs. 10,000 that has been promised should be delivered quickly.
“It’s very important that the government gives this sense to the people that it is going to help rebuild houses, also give a timeline for the same,” he said.
While interacting with media, the Gandhi scion also hinted towards the Opposition unity and that all the opposition parties are united in the battle against those who only support one ideology.
“There are certain actions that are being taken at national level by the government which are undemocratic and we are fighting that battle. The Opposition is united in fighting that battle. There are two different visions of India – one is a centralised vision and the other is a decentralised vision, one respects only one ideology and the other respects all the different states, all the different ideas, all the different cultures, all the different people in the country. So that battle is on and I assure you that we are fighting that fight,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi arrived in Kerala on a two-day visit yesterday and spoke to people at relief camps. Kerala witnesses the century’s worst floods with 474 people losing their lives and lakhs of people becoming homeless.