"No Cabinet": Kangana Ranaut On Mandi Disaster Relief, Congress Reacts
Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut is facing criticism for what the Congress described as "insensitive" remarks during his visit to flood-hit areas in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district on Sunday. Ms Ranaut, while addressing the disaster relief efforts in her parliamentary constituency, jokingly said that she does not have any official Cabinet to provide disaster relief.
"Whether it's disaster relief or the disaster itself - I don't have any official cabinet. I have my two brothers who are always with me. That's my cabinet. So, it's just these two. I do not have any funds for disaster relief or hold any Cabinet post. MPs have work that is limited to Parliament. We are very small in the scheme of things," the BJP MP said as she laughed.
However, she also assured people of getting help from the Centre for disaster relief funds.
"Our central government, no matter how many army rescue operations it has carried out...you have seen the number of people who are being rescued. Even today, we get food and shelter in all sorts of ways. Along with that, our party leaders have formed a team in the affected area. We also reached here while being part of that team. The main work of MPs is to get funds from the centre and deliver their message. I will do that with full capacity," she said.
Hitting out Ms Ranaut, the Congress posted a short clip of her statement on X, calling her remarks "insensitive".
"In Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, a cloudburst has caused massive destruction. People are distressed, their entire world has been ruined. Mandi's MP Kangana arrived there after several days and, laughing, said - 'What can I do, I don't have a cabinet position'. Please show some sensitivity, Kangana ji," the party wrote.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also slammed the BJP MP.
"Kangana ji's insensitivity has even left BJP's Jairam Thakur stunned. In Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, a cloudburst has caused massive destruction. Kangana ji, the MP from there, visited the place for the first time after this tragedy. People have lost everything, and she finds sarcasm, mockery, and laughter appropriate?" she said.
Kangana Ranaut criticised for delayed Mandi visit
Earlier, Ms Ranaut was criticised for her delayed statement and absence from the flood-hit region. The backlash escalated after BJP leader Jairam Thakur was asked about the actor-politician's absence from Mandi. "I do not know, and I do not wish to comment on it. We are here to live and die for those who care; I do not wish to comment on those who do not care," Mr Thakur said.
Latching on to Mr Thakur's comments, Congress said, "MP Kangana Ranaut is not concerned about the people of Mandi' - we are not saying this, former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said this."
A day after the backlash, Ms Ranaut had issued a statement on the disaster and mentioned that Jairam Thakur advised her to wait till the connectivity and reach to the affected areas are restored.
"It is heartbreaking to see massive flood devastation in Himachal almost every year now, I tried reaching to flood affected areas in Seraj and other areas in Mandi, but advised by respected leader of opposition Jairam Thakur ji to wait until the connectivity and reach to the affected areas are restored," she wrote.
Himachal Pradesh rain fury
At least 78 people died in Himachal Pradesh since the onset of monsoon on June 20 - out of which 50 people died in rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts, while 28 deaths were reported in road accidents, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said. The heavy downpour has caused massive disaster, with the state reporting 23 flash floods, followed by 19 cloud burst incidents and 16 landslides so far.
Mandi district, severely impacted by cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides, saw the highest number of deaths. The flash floods have sent 280 roads, including 156 in Mandi, out of bounds for traffic.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the estimated losses due to the rains so far stand at around Rs 572 crore, though the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the figure was close to Rs 700 crore as data was still being compiled. The Chief Minister also announced a series of relief measures, including Rs 5,000 per month as rental assistance for families displaced by the calamity, and said that the cloudburst incidents are being studied.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a flash flood alert in 10 districts today.
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