Congress President Rahul Gandhi meets the flood-affected at the relief Camp at the Engineering College in Chengannur, Kerala. (Source: INC/twitter)
Days after appealing to the Central government to provide help to flood-hit Kerala, Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrived in the state Tuesday on a two-day visit. He met flood-affected people at Chengannur and interacted with the fishermen community in Alapuzha. Claiming that the fishermen community in the country was facing a crisis similar to that by the farmers, Gandhi said if the Congress came to power at the Centre, a separate fisheries ministry would be set up. About three thousand fishermen had saved 70,000 lives in the recent floods, he said.
ALSO READ | You are not alone, be certain we are with you: Rahul Gandhi tells people at flood relief camp in Kerala
Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, among those who were at the airport to welcome Gandhi, tweeted: “Received Rahul Gandhi on his arrival in Thiruvananthapuram from Europe on his way to visit areas affected by Kerala floods. He will meet the heroic survivors and félicitate fishermen who sacrificed so much to rescue trapped people.”
BSF personnel engaged in rehabilitation efforts in Thrissur.
Addressing an audience of nearly 200 men, women and children at the St Francis Assissi school in Athani, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi assured inmates of a relief camp near Kochi that his party in its limited way would do everything possible to help the people get back on their feet. 'I want all of you to know that you are not alone, we are with you. We are not in government either in Delhi or in Kerala. We cannot do very big things, but we are going to do whatever we can. In its own limited way, the Congress party is collecting funds to help you,' he said. Read the full story here.
Rahul Gandhi kicks off the fund collection drive for Kerala Congress' project of building 1001 homes for the flood-affected victims. Gandhi is scheduled to tour Wayanad and Kozhikode districts tomorrow.
At a reception hosted by the Congress in the worst-hit Alapuzha district to honour the fishermen community, Rahul Gandhi said the Coast Guard should make use of the services of fishermen for rescue operations in the future. "I am proud to say that through all your difficulties... through all your hardships... whenever Kerala needed you... you stood up and gave your best. I salute your commitment to the people of Kerala," Gandhi said.
Along with farmers, fishermen have also helped build the country, Gandhi said and asserted that it was an "honour" for him to felicitate the fishermen who had saved several lives. Recalling his last visit to the state in the aftermath of Cyclone Ockhi, he said, "I came and visited your houses and I must say looking back, I am not happy for the help you had received for the damage (suffered in the cyclone)."
Men and women at the St Francis Assissi school relief camp in Athani, Ernakulam waiting to meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Many have been waiting since 2 pm. Many of these people, living in areas near Aluva, have lost their homes to floods. They have been staying at the school for the past two weeks. However, the people are unsure where to go after the school reopens for classes tomorrow.
At the St Francis Assissi school relief camp in Athani, Ernakulam. (Express photo)
At an event in Kerala to felicitate fishermen, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said if his party comes to power, it would setup a separate fisheries ministry. "I will not give fake promise. As Congress president I am talking to you," Gandhi said. Thanking the fishermen for their efforts in rescue work, Gandhi said about 3,000 fishermen saved over 70,000 people.
Rahul Gandhi at an event in Kerala. (Source: Congress/Twitter)
Congress President Rahul Gandhi at the felicitation event of fishermen involved with rescue operations at Camelot Convention Centre, Alappuzha. The event started with a moment of silence for the people who lost their lives in the Kerala floods.
(Source: INC/Twitter)
Tagging a media report, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in Kerala on Tuesday to meet flood-affected people, said the deluge revealed two distinct ideas of India. "The first is one of love and compassion for all living beings, particularly in their suffering. The second is driven by hate & bigotry that is unrelenting even in the face of suffering," Gandhi tweeted. The Congress chief has now arrived in Alapuzha, where he felicitated fishermen who carried out rescue operations during the floods.
Meanwhile, with the aim of sending back close to 1.5 lakh people to their homes from relief camps, thousands of volunteers have begun a massive clean-up in close coordination with panchayat officials in Kuttanad, considered the rice-bowl of Kerala. Located in Alappuzha district, Kuttanad lies below the sea-level and is prone to immediate and extensive flooding. While water has receded from large parts of Kerala, acres of paddy fields and plantations remain submerged under water in Kuttanad. Read More
Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala and Congress's state unit president M M Hassan were among those present at the camps with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress president is currently at a relief camp in Chalakudy. He is scheduled to visit several flood-hit areas of the state today and tomorrow.
Earlier on Monday, the Congress president had in a tweet said that he will meet fishermen and party volunteers involved in relief work in the state.
Rahul Gandhi will be visiting flood-hit regions in the state including Alappuzha and Angamaly later in the day. He will also visit flood-affected areas in Wayanad district tomorrow.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi visits a relief camp in Kerala's Chengannur district.
Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, through a tweet, informed about Rahul Gandhi's arrival in Kerala.
Welcome to our LIVE blog. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has arrived in flood-hit Kerala for two days. Follow to track the latest updates.