Cong Prez Kharge condoles deaths in Northeast floods, urges Centre to ue PM CARES Fund for flood relief

New Delhi : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday expressed condolences over the loss of lives in the floods and landslides in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim, while accusing the BJP-led governments of failing to fulfil their promises of making the Northeast flood-free.
In a post on X, Kharge said the floods and landslides had claimed precious lives and displaced thousands of families across the region.
“The devastating floods and landslides in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim have claimed precious lives and left thousands of families displaced and devastated. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and stand in unwavering solidarity with every person affected by this tragedy across the Northeastern region,” he said.
Targeting the BJP, Kharge alleged that the promises made by the “double-engine” NDA governments to make the Northeastern states flood-free had not materialised.
“All the tall promises by ‘Double Engine’ NDA Governments to the people of Northeast to make their states ‘flood free’ have disappeared in thin air, even as flood has become a regular annual feature with little preparedness and scarce long-term mitigation efforts,” he said.
Kharge urged the Centre to utilise the PM CARES Fund to provide relief and rehabilitation to the affected families.
“The Modi Government cannot afford to treat this as another routine disaster response. It must immediately utilise the PM CARES Fund to provide adequate compensation, comprehensive rehabilitation and sustained relief to every affected family,” he said.
While appreciating the efforts of the Armed Forces, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel engaged in rescue operations, Kharge said the scale of the humnews agencytarian crisis required a stronger response.
“While India is proud of our brave Armed Forces, NDRF & SDRF teams who are working tirelessly to rescue stranded people and support relief operations, the scale of this humnews agencytarian crisis demands a far stronger response. The Government must urgently deploy additional personnel, resources and financial assistance to intensify rescue efforts, rebuild damaged infrastructure and ensure that no affected family is left behind,” he said.
Kharge also said, “The Congress party leaders and workers must assist and aid the victims in flood-prone areas.”
This comes amid widespread damage caused by heavy rainfall, cloudbursts and flash floods in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, particularly in Keyi Panyor district, where multiple casualties have been reported in recent days. Authorities had earlier confirmed that a cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides in the region, resulting in loss of lives and extensive damage to property.
Heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh has also caused the Leku River to overflow, leading to severe flooding in Assam’s Jonai region. More than 100 families have been affected, with houses, agricultural fields and livestock submerged.