BJP's Tejasvi Surya Accuses Rahul Gandhi of Neglect Over Wayanad Landslides

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, former MP from Wayanad, failed to address critical issues leading to devastating landslides. Surya blamed political and religious pressures for the negligence, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted missed early warnings.

On Wednesday, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya launched a blistering attack on Congress leader and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of neglecting key issues in the region, which recently faced catastrophic landslides. Surya claimed Gandhi had not raised the subject of landslides and floods in Parliament during his tenure.

Surya cited a 2020 advisory from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority that recommended relocating 4,000 families from landslide-prone areas in Wayanad. He argued that no action was taken, attributing the inaction to political and religious pressures, and criticized Gandhi for not addressing this critical issue. He labeled the landslides as a 'man-made disaster' driven by illegal encroachments and commercial activities in the Western Ghats.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking in Rajya Sabha, expressed condolences for the lives lost and emphasized that the Kerala government could have minimized the damage had it acted on early warnings issued by the central government. Chief Minister Vijayan countered Shah's claims, stating this was not the time for blame games and noted discrepancies in the forecast accuracy from the India Meteorological Department.

(With inputs from agencies.)