"Urge both State and Central Governments to act immediately": Rahu Gandhi on devastation caused by Cyclone Montha in Andhra Pradesh

New Delhi [India], November 1 (ANI): Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday expressed his deep concern over the devastation caused by Cyclone Montha in Andhra Pradesh. The cyclone has resulted in significant losses, with estimated damages amounting to Rs 5,244 crore. Gandhi emphasized the need for immediate relief and assistance to the affected people, particularly farmers who have lost their crops.
In a post on X, he urged both the State and Central Governments to act immediately. He said, "The destruction caused by Cyclone Montha in Andhra Pradesh has caused immense hardship across many districts. My thoughts are with everyone who has lost their loved ones, homes and livelihoods. It's heartbreaking to see our farmers, who worked tirelessly for months, lose their entire crop overnight. The Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh is on the ground, listening to people and assessing the damage. We urge both the State and Central Governments to act immediately - the scale of devastation demands urgent and compassionate action."
Crops over 1.38 lakh hectares were damaged, affecting 1.74 lakh farmers and causing losses of Rs 829 crore. 4,794 km of roads, along with 311 culverts and bridges, were damaged, causing losses of Rs 2,794 crore. The government has taken steps to provide relief, including distributing essentials like rice, lentils, onions, sugar, and palm oil to those in relief camps.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has credited technology-driven real-time monitoring and best practices for ensuring people's safety. The government has announced compensation for damaged crops and financial assistance to flood-affected families. Minister Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy assured that every farmer who suffered crop loss would receive full support and compensation from the government.

Earlier in the day, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee Chief YS Sharmila Reddy demanded "National Disaster" status to the farmers affected by Cyclone Motha. She visited Bantumilli Mandal in Pedana Constituency of Krishna District today to inspect the extensive crop damage caused by Cyclone Motha.
During her visit, she interacted with farmers, observed the devastation firsthand, and expressed deep concern over the unprecedented losses suffered by the farming community.
Speaking to the media, Sharmila Reddy said, "Farmers across the region have lost everything due to the cyclone, which wreaked havoc on thousands of acres of cultivated land. She remarked that the destruction is visible everywhere, with crops completely flattened and livelihoods shattered. Despite such extensive damage, the state government has deliberately understated the extent of the losses in its official reports. The government's preliminary estimate of Rs 800 crore in damages is grossly misleading and far from reality."
According to the Congress Party's assessment, crop damage has occurred across nearly 20 to 22 lakh acres in the state, with losses amounting to more than Rs 20,000 crore. Paddy alone was damaged in over 13 lakh acres, cotton in 3 lakh acres, and groundnut and maize together in more than 4 lakh acres.
Sharmila Reddy said that the government's reluctance to acknowledge the real extent of the damage raises serious questions about its intentions. She wondered if the administration was deliberately downplaying the losses to avoid paying fair compensation to farmers.
She pointed out that farmers were already struggling under heavy debts even before the cyclone struck, and their situation has worsened dramatically since then. Each farmer has invested nearly Rs 35,000 per acre in cultivation, and today, that investment has been completely lost. She accused the state government of failing to conduct proper ground-level surveys and of ignoring the cries of farmers who are desperate for support and relief.
Taking strong exception to the silence of the central leadership, Sharmila Reddy criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to even acknowledge the crisis. She said that the Prime Minister visits Andhra Pradesh for political reasons but never speaks about the problems of its people. She alleged that deceiving Andhra Pradesh has become a habit for the Modi government, while leaders like CM Chandrababu Naidu and deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan remain silent spectators, offering tacit approval. She said that the BJP continues to exist in the state only because of the support of the people, but once in power, it conveniently forgets the state's issues. For the Prime Minister, she added, Andhra Pradesh seems to mean only votes, not people. (ANI)