Government of Karnataka has once again allocated ₹10 crore in Kerala's Wayanad district to rebuild families hit hard by the 2024 landslide. This is the second time such a grant has been provided, following a ₹10 crore donated to the government for building houses. The government regards this as a humanitarian gesture but it has provoked a political firestorm as many say why is Karnataka paying for those buildings from what has now been donated to another state?
In July 2024, a landslide hit Meppadi in Wayanad, Kerala causing hundreds to die in homes. In July 2024, the Karnataka government had already donated ₹10 crore to build new houses for the victims. In March 2026, the government announced another ₹10 crore grant for upgrading rehabilitation. It is an official expenditure being made through the State Disaster Management Fund.
Opposition parties including BJP and JD(S) have heavily criticized the plan. If one is not worried that it will affect their lives there are many people who also feel that Karnataka's money is available to its own people; there aren’t many people who could vote. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya accused the government of misbehaving and BJP group leader R. Ashoka dubbed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as the “Keralam CM” saying he is focused on Kerala and not Karnataka the way the people in Kerala should be. Wayanad is home to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and it is a particular case of people feeling angry against the move.
Siddaramaiah defended the allocation, saying disaster relief need not be limited to the state. “A human being being rescued on the day of a tragedy is truly humanitarian.” Congress leaders say solidarity with those of the neighbouring states strengthens this solidarity and compassion.
The problem is indicative of tension in humanitarian help versus state accountability. From one point of view, assisting victims of a deadly landslide is an act of solidarity. At the other end, taxpayers in Karnataka don't know if they should put their money in foreign hands if what needs to be done here in Karnataka is still local. And the timing of the grant coming shortly before elections only has fuelled speculation that the motives were political.
The Karnataka government’s second ₹10 crore grant to Wayanad has erupted into an all-out war. The Congress supports it as a humanitarian venture; the opposition argues the funds should be kept out of the pockets of the people of Karnataka’s own people. This whole debate is about accountability, governance and the balance of compassion versus accountability.
