By Rahul Bhandari
Mandi 鈥 As Himachal Pradesh reels from the devastating effects of the monsoon, actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has come under fire for her remarks during a visit to flood-affected areas in her constituency of Mandi. The Congress party has slammed her comments as 鈥渋nsensitive,鈥 accusing the newly elected MP of taking the tragedy lightly.
While visiting Mandi on Sunday, Kangana said that she does not have any official cabinet to provide disaster relief. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 disaster relief or the disaster itself 鈥 I don鈥檛 have any official cabinet. I have my two brothers who are always with me. That鈥檚 my cabinet,鈥 she said, laughing. 鈥淚 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.鈥
Her attempt at humour during such a grim time sparked outrage online and from political rivals. The Congress shared a clip of her statement on social media platform X, calling it highly inappropriate. 鈥淚n Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, a cloudburst has caused massive destruction. People are distressed, their entire world has been ruined. Mandi鈥檚 MP Kangana arrived there after several days and, laughing, said 鈥 鈥榃hat can I do, I don鈥檛 have a cabinet position鈥. Please show some sensitivity, Kangana ji,鈥 the party wrote.
Facing mounting criticism, Kangana clarified that she does not have any direct administrative powers as an MP but assured people that she would do her best to get support from the Centre. 鈥淥ur Union government, no matter how many army rescue operations it has carried out鈥 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,鈥 she said.
The backlash was further fuelled by her delayed visit to the flood-hit region. When BJP leader and former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur was asked about Kangana鈥檚 absence, he distanced himself from the controversy, saying, 鈥淚 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.鈥
The Congress seized upon Thakur鈥檚 remark, stating, 鈥淢P Kangana Ranaut is not concerned about the people of Mandi 鈥 we are not saying this, former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said this.鈥
In response, Kangana said she had been advised by Jairam Thakur to delay her visit until roads and connectivity were restored. 鈥淚t is heartbreaking to see massive flood devastation in Himachal almost every year now. I tried reaching the flood-affected areas in Seraj and other parts of Mandi but was advised by respected leader of opposition Jairam Thakur ji to wait until the connectivity and reach to the affected areas are restored,鈥 she said in a statement.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), at least 78 people have died across Himachal Pradesh since June 20 due to monsoon-related incidents, including landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts. Mandi district has reported the highest number of fatalities and has been severely impacted, with 280 roads鈥攊ncluding 156 in Mandi鈥攔endered inaccessible. The estimated loss due to the rain-related destruction stands at over 鈧572 crore, with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu suggesting the final figure may be closer to 鈧700 crore.