Wayanad, Kerala: Congress leader and Wayanad Lok Sabha MP Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressed the media here today, calling for creative expressions that foster peace, love, and harmony rather than division, even as she highlighted the exemplary secular fabric and communal solidarity of Kerala.
Speaking to reporters, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra emphasized the importance of allowing people to express themselves freely. However, she expressed concern over the growing atmosphere of anger and hatred in public discourse. “Firstly, I feel that people should be allowed to express themselves. At the same time, I feel that in an environment which is becoming increasingly filled with this kind of rhetoric and with anger and hatred towards each other, I feel that it is better to make things creatively which are happy and promote peace, love, and welfare among people,” she said.
Her remarks appeared to advocate for positive, unifying narratives over divisive ones, in a context where national debates often turn polarized.
When asked about her views on Kerala’s secularism and social environment, the MP expressed deep admiration for the state’s people, drawing from her personal experience since becoming the representative of Wayanad. “I am an admirer of the people of Kerala. Honestly, I have not had this experience before I became MP from here,” she noted.
She pointed to the harmony in Wayanad, where diverse communities coexist peacefully, celebrate festivals together, and extend support during crises. Priyanka specifically referenced the devastating landslides that struck Chooralmala and Mundakkai in July 2024, which claimed hundreds of lives and displaced many families in one of Kerala’s worst natural disasters in recent years.
“In Wayanad, how beautifully the communities live together, how they celebrate festivals, how they help each other… if we saw the Chooralmala-Mundakkai tragedy. And we saw how it didn’t matter which religion you were, what caste you were—nothing. It didn’t matter. Everybody helped each other, everybody came forward, till today they are helping,” she said.
Describing this as the true “spirit” and “essence of India,” she praised Kerala’s approach as a model worth emulating nationwide. “So, I think, it’s a spirit. It’s really the essence of India. It’s a spirit of Kerala and I feel that, that’s what is so beautiful about it. Why not showcase that, why not talk about it, why not the whole country also learn from these examples!”
Her comments come during a visit to the constituency, where she and other Congress leaders have been actively involved in rehabilitation efforts for landslide survivors, including recent initiatives to build homes for affected families.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s speech underscores a call for unity and compassion, positioning Kerala’s lived secularism and mutual aid as a beacon amid broader national challenges.