Declare Kerala floods as a national calamity: Rahul Gandhi to Centre
Soon after the Centre announced a relief grant of Rs 500 crore to the state, Gandhi said that while it is a good step, it is not enough.
While demanding that the Centre declares the Kerala floods as a national calamity, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has asked his party's MPs, MLAs and MLCs to donate a month's salary. Soon after the Centre announced a relief grant of Rs 500 crore to the state, Gandhi said that while it is a good step, it is not enough.
"It is critical you declare the floods as a National Disaster. Please do not vacillate as the people of Kerala are suffering," Gandhi tweeted, addressing prime minister Modi.
Earlier in the day, convening a meeting of party leaders from across the country, Gandhi said that the Congress governments in Punjab and Karnataka have also donated Rs 10 crore each, as well as the government in Puducherry, which has donated Rs 1 crore. Gandhi directed a Special Relief Committee to be formed in Karnataka, so that relief material can be collected by Congress workers.
In the meeting that Gandhi convened of state Congress chiefs, a decision to keep the pressure on Rafale was taken as well. Congress workers have been directed to carry out state and district-level demonstrations to keep the issue alive.