Mandi MP Hits Back at State Leadership for ‘Ineffective’ Disaster Response

Munish Sood
Mandi: Mandi BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has sharply responded to Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh's remarks regarding her delayed visit to the flood-affected areas in Mandi. She asserted that the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh is unlikely to regain power for the next two decades.

During her visit to the disaster-stricken regions of Karsog, Thunag, and Nachan, Kangana met with families impacted by the floods and assessed the extensive damage caused by the natural disaster.

Vikramaditya Singh had previously criticized Kangana for not being present on the ground while her home district faced severe flooding. In her defense, the MP accused the Congress-led state government of neglecting the populace during their time of need and engaging in political maneuvering.

“Those who have failed the victims now question my absence. What moral authority do they possess to lecture me?” Kangana stated to reporters in Nachan.

Kangana Ranaut, serving her first term as an MP, mentioned that locals informed her that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had only made a fleeting visit to Thunag, while Vikramaditya Singh had distributed only a small amount in compensation despite damages amounting to crores. “People are frustrated. They believe the Congress should not return to power for the next 20 years,” she asserted.

She labeled the state government as “corrupt and hypocritical,” claiming they were more interested in shifting blame than providing actual relief. “They keep mentioning my name to distract from their failures. I’m an MP, not a Cabinet minister. I don’t oversee PWD, disaster relief, or infrastructure,” she defended her role.

Kangana commended the Central Government for its prompt response, highlighting the involvement of army units, central agencies, and BJP workers in the relief operations.

“From sending troops to distributing blankets and essential supplies, the Centre has acted swiftly. Meanwhile, the state government appears lost. Merely repeating ‘Kangana-Kangana’ is not a strategy for flood relief,” she remarked.

She emphasized that BJP workers were tirelessly assisting in the affected areas, contrasting their efforts with the Congress leadership, which she described as being focused on photo opportunities.

The floods that hit Mandi district on June 30 have resulted in at least 14 fatalities, with 30 individuals still unaccounted for. Initial assessments indicate that 225 homes and 215 cowsheds have been destroyed, with entire villages cut off due to washed-out roads and bridges. Kangana stressed that the magnitude of the disaster necessitates a coordinated and long-term recovery strategy.