BJP MP Ranaut says she hasn't visited Mandi on Jai Ram Thakur's 'advise'; Cong takes jibe
Shimla, Jul 4 (PTI): The ruling Congress on Friday took a dig at the BJP over Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut's comment that she has not visited cloudburst affected areas of Mandi on the "advise" of her party's leader Jai Ram Thakur, saying the leader of opposition in Himachal Pradesh was "getting angry".
As many as 43 lives were lost in the hill state, of which 14 died in cloudbursts, eight in flash floods, one in a landslide, and seven were drowned. The most deaths, 17, were reported in the Mandi district, where 10 instances of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc on Tuesday.
In a post on X on Friday, Ranaut said, "It is heartbreaking to see massive flood devastation in Himachal almost every year now. I tried reaching the flood-affected areas in Seraj and other areas in Mandi, but was advised by the respected Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur to wait until the connectivity to the affected areas is restored."
"Red alert is issued by Mandi DC today as well. Awaiting authorities' approval on the same; will be there soonest possible," she said.
In another post, the actor-politician said, "I am on my way to Himachal Pradesh. I will be visiting the affected areas soon. Please be rest assured I stand with Himachal Pradesh in every situation. Jai Hind."
Her remarks came a day after Thakur, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, sought to parry questions about the absence of the BJP's Mandi MP Ranaut from the calamity-hit region, saying, "We are concerned about the locals, and we live and die for them. Cannot comment on those who are not."
Latching on to the remark, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday asked Ranaut to speak to Thakur and said the leader of the opposition was "getting angry".
On Thursday, Thakur addressed a press conference in Mandi and lamented that the two decades of development works in his Seraj constituency have been ruined in the calamity, and it would take years to get restored.
Nachan, Karsog, Drang, Dharampur, Mandi constituencies and the adjoining areas have suffered colossal losses, he had said and urged the government to take up the relief, rescue and restoration work on a war footing.
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 Shri @jairamthakurbjp ji to wait untill the connectivity and reach to…
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) July 4, 2025
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Women BJP MLAs protest against opposition in UP assembly premises
Lucknow (PTI): Women BJP MLAs held a protest in the Vidhan Bhawan complex before the one-day special session of Uttar Pradesh assembly, slamming the opposition for defeating the passage of a bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Law, in the Lok Sabha.
This followed another demonstration by Samajwadi Party MLAs, who alleged that the BJP was misleading public in the name of women's reservation.
The women BJP legislators assembled in front of Chaudhary Charan Singh's statue in the assembly premises, holding banners inscribed with the slogan "Insult to Matrushakti (women's power), India will not tolerate it". The protesting members entered the main hall of Vidhan Bhawan carrying the banners.
Participating in the protest, the state Minister for Women Welfare and Child Development, Baby Rani Maurya, told reporters that all opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, had opposed the women's reservation, a stance for which they would have to pay a heavy political price.
"On this issue, all of us women stand united. We will ensure that we secure our reservation," she said.
BJP MLA Ketki Singh remarked that their protest represents the collective outrage of millions of women across the state.
Singh asserted that the opposition has betrayed women by creating hurdles in the path of women's reservation. The current demonstration is merely the beginning, and very soon, women from every street, intersection and household will join the protest movement, she said.
Minister Vijaylakshmi Gautam said, "We strongly condemn the despicable act committed by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in an attempt to hold back 'half the population' (women). Their action was directed against the very bill that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced to empower and strengthen Nari Shakti (women's power), and which he strived to pass expeditiously."
Uttar Pradesh assembly is holding a one-day special session on Thursday. During the session, the government is set to move a censure motion against the opposition parties over their failure to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, in the Lok Sabha.
