Actor Siddharth, on Thursday, urged people to contribute whatever they can to the people affected by the floods in Kerala. Calling it ‘Kerala Donation Challenge,’ Siddharth tweeted with a proof of the amount he had donated to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (Govt of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram) and also posted a letter encouraging others also to donate.
“I dare you. I beg of you! What do I have to do to make you read and share this? I did the #KeralaDonationChallenge It was awesome! Will you? Please? #KeralaFloods #SaveKerala @CMOKerala,” read the tweet.
I dare you. I beg of you!
— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) August 16, 2018
What do I have to do to make you read and share this?
I did the #KeralaDonationChallenge
It was awesome!
Will you? Please?#KeralaFloods#SaveKerala@CMOKerala pic.twitter.com/9RmMjSKVBC
“I am pained by the lack of adequate attention being given to this situation. It reminds me of a similar apathy displayed by the national media during devastating Tamil Nadu floods of 2015,” read a portion of the letter attached to his tweet.
The letter further stated that every rupee donated towards the cause of flood relief in Kerala makes a difference and that he believed that social media had the “special powers to create magical movements overnight.”
“I implore you to contribute whatever ever you can to this urgent cause. Please post your donation proof online if you wish to inspire others to do the same. Let us call this the #KeralaDonationChallenge. We all know how much the internet loves a challenge,” the letter said.
The actor also demanded news coverage, social media contributions and reactions, to create awareness of the gravity of the situation, which will, in turn, make a difference in Kerala.
“Together we can make a difference. We have seen impossible targets become possible when people come together to help others. Let us help make the difference,” added the letter.
Actor Siddharth is the latest in the list of celebrities who have donated to the cause. Actors Suriya, Karthi, Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Allu Arjun, Vijay Deverakonda, Dulquer Salman and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) are some of the big names that have donated money to help people affected by the floods.
Rains in Kerala has killed at least 75 people in the past few weeks and caused loss of property worth crores. Thousands across the state are still stranded with rescue operations in full swing. Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Idukki, Wayanad and Malappuram districts are the most affected areas in the state with most rivers in spate.