Wayanad tragedy: CPM - Congress war of words for Shruti

WAYANAD: The CPI(M) and the Congress have been engaged in a political dispute concerning the rehabilitation of Shruti, a victim of the 2024 Chooralmala landslide in Wayanad. CPI(M) district secretary K. Rafeeq initially accused Kalpetta MLA T. Siddique (Congress) of failing to fulfill a promise to provide a house to Shruti. Rafeeq claimed that Siddique had pledged to deliver a house within 120 days—a commitment he alleged remained unfulfilled 18 months later, despite the promise still being visible on Siddique's Facebook page. Rafeeq further stated that, based on this promise, Shruti declined housing in a government township and accepted 15 lakh rupees. He alleged that she subsequently applied to the government, expressing a willingness to return the money in exchange for a house in the township.

In response, T. Siddique strongly refuted Rafeeq's allegations, calling them lies and accusing the CPI(M) of engaging in "dirty politics" by dragging a disaster victim into controversy. Siddique clarified that a house is indeed being built for Shruti by "Time News" YouTubers, and he himself attended the foundation stone laying ceremony for this house. He criticized the CPI(M) district secretary for concealing this fact and suggested that the CPI(M) was attempting to humiliate him. Siddique asserted that involving Shruti in such a dispute was "inhumane" and a "degradation of political activity," predicting that the CPI(M) would face significant backlash, even greater than the incident where he was heckled at a government event. He also mentioned that he intervened when the agency constructing the house halted work.