NEW DELHI: BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has come under fire from the Congress for what the party called an “insensitive” response during her visit to flood-affected areas in her Mandi constituency in Himachal Pradesh.
The backlash was sparked by a video shared by the Congress in which Ranaut, while commenting on disaster relief , said, “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.”
The Congress criticised Ranaut for allegedly treating the situation lightly. “In Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, a cloudburst has caused widespread devastation. People are distressed, their lives completely upended. Mandi's MP Kangana arrived there after several days and, laughing, said, 'What can I do, I don’t have a cabinet position.' Show some compassion, Kangana ji,” the party said on its official X account.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate also attacked the Mandi MP, saying, “Even BJP's Jairam Thakur is left speechless in the face of Kangana Ji's insensitivity.”
She added, “A cloudburst in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, has caused massive destruction. Kangana Ji, who is the MP from there, visited the area for the first time after the tragedy. People have lost everything — and she is in the mood for sarcasm, jokes, and laughter?”
Ranaut, who visited the region on Sunday, said she was “deeply pained” by the situation on the ground, where families had lost their homes and loved ones. “We can only console the families who have lost their kin, and now it is time to provide relief,” she added.
More than 14 people have died in Mandi alone, with 31 still missing after a series of cloudbursts and landslides. Across Himachal Pradesh, the monsoon has so far claimed 78 lives since June 20, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). Of these, 50 were due to rain-related incidents and 28 were the result of road accidents.
The state has reported major damage to infrastructure: 269 roads blocked, 278 water schemes disrupted, and 285 power transformers damaged. The estimated loss to public and private property exceeds Rs 57 crore.
The backlash was sparked by a video shared by the Congress in which Ranaut, while commenting on disaster relief , said, “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.”
The Congress criticised Ranaut for allegedly treating the situation lightly. “In Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, a cloudburst has caused widespread devastation. People are distressed, their lives completely upended. Mandi's MP Kangana arrived there after several days and, laughing, said, 'What can I do, I don’t have a cabinet position.' Show some compassion, Kangana ji,” the party said on its official X account.
हिमाचल प्रदेश के मंडी में बादल फटने से भारी तबाही हुई है. लोग परेशान हैं, उनका सब कुछ उजड़ गया है.
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 6, 2025
मंडी की सांसद कंगना कई दिन बाद वहां पहुंचीं और हंसते हुए कहा- 'मैं क्या कर सकती हूं, मेरे पास कैबिनेट तो है नहीं'
कुछ तो संवेदना दिखाइए कंगना जी pic.twitter.com/btzPimukNa
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate also attacked the Mandi MP, saying, “Even BJP's Jairam Thakur is left speechless in the face of Kangana Ji's insensitivity.”
She added, “A cloudburst in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, has caused massive destruction. Kangana Ji, who is the MP from there, visited the area for the first time after the tragedy. People have lost everything — and she is in the mood for sarcasm, jokes, and laughter?”
कंगना जी की संवेदनहीनता के सामने BJP के जयराम ठाकुर भी बगले झाँक रहे हैं
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) July 6, 2025
हिमाचल प्रदेश के मंडी में बादल फटने से भारी तबाही मची है. कंगना जी, वहाँ की सांसद हैं, इस त्रासदी के बाद पहली बार वहाँ पहुँचीं
लोगों का सब कुछ उजड़ गया है और उन्हें व्यंग्य, मज़ाक़, हँसी सूझ रही है? pic.twitter.com/YQeSNutZGP
Ranaut, who visited the region on Sunday, said she was “deeply pained” by the situation on the ground, where families had lost their homes and loved ones. “We can only console the families who have lost their kin, and now it is time to provide relief,” she added.
More than 14 people have died in Mandi alone, with 31 still missing after a series of cloudbursts and landslides. Across Himachal Pradesh, the monsoon has so far claimed 78 lives since June 20, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). Of these, 50 were due to rain-related incidents and 28 were the result of road accidents.
The state has reported major damage to infrastructure: 269 roads blocked, 278 water schemes disrupted, and 285 power transformers damaged. The estimated loss to public and private property exceeds Rs 57 crore.
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