GG News Bureau
Mandi, 4th July: Actor-turned-MP Kangana Ranaut has come under political fire over her delayed response to the devastating flash floods in Mandi, her parliamentary constituency in Himachal Pradesh. The controversy escalated after BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur made remarks that the Congress seized upon to target the BJP, claiming that even her own party was unhappy with her inaction.
Asked by reporters why Kangana had not issued a statement or visited the flood-affected region, Thakur replied,
“I do not wish to comment on those who do not care. We are here to live and die for those who care.”
The remarks sparked a backlash, prompting Kangana to clarify on her X handle (formerly Twitter) today. In her post, she claimed that it was on Jairam Thakur’s own advice that she refrained from visiting the affected areas until connectivity was restored.
“It is heartbreaking to see massive flood devastation in Himachal almost every year now… I tried reaching the flood-affected areas in Seraj and Mandi, but was advised by Shri @jairamthakurbjp ji to wait until the connectivity and reach to the affected areas are restored,” she wrote, assuring that she will visit the region “soonest possible.”
The Congress was quick to pounce, sharing Thakur’s statement on social media with the caption:
“‘MP Kangana Ranaut is not concerned about the people of Mandi’ – we are not saying this, former CM Jairam Thakur said this.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced a slew of relief measures for those impacted by the disaster, including ₹5,000 monthly rental assistance for displaced families. He also called for a scientific inquiry into the 14 cloudburst incidents recorded in the past two weeks.
Reacting to Kangana’s clarification, CM Sukhu said,
“She should immediately speak to Jairam Thakur ji.”
Taking a swipe at the Leader of Opposition, he added,
“Instead of addressing the press in Mandi, he should have gone to Siraj to help people. That is the duty of a public representative. We are not doing politics; our focus is on relief.”
According to the State Disaster Management Authority, at least 37 people have lost their lives, and property worth ₹400 crore has been damaged due to torrential rains and flash floods that hit Mandi district the hardest, claiming 17 lives. As of now, 280 roads, including 156 in Mandi, remain blocked, severely hampering rescue and relief operations.
Five relief camps have been set up across the region, with 402 people rescued, 348 of them from Mandi alone. The monsoon arrived in Himachal on June 20, and officials estimate the total damage across the state to exceed ₹5,000 crore.
