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‘No cabinet, no funds’: Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut on rain, flood disaster relief
Congress lashed out at BJP MP Kangana Ranaut for her comments, calling them “insensitive” and “mocking” the pain of victims.
Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut is facing flak over her remarks during a visit to flood-affected areas of Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district. Speaking to the media on Sunday, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) MP said she had no cabinet or funds to provide disaster relief, a comment that drew sharp reactions from the ruling Congress.
“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,” Ranaut told reporters, laughing.
"We are the link between the state and the central government, instrumental in getting projects from the centre to the state and raising issues and grievances of our constituencies with the centre," she added.
Congress lashed out at BJP MP Kangana Ranaut for her comments, calling them “insensitive” and “mocking” the pain of victims.
The party shared a short video of Ranaut with state LoP Jairam Thakur by her side on X, and wrote: “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.”
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also slammed Ranaut, saying her conduct during the visit was inappropriate and out of touch with the tragedy on the ground.
"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.
Her comments came as the region continues to reel under the impact of cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides triggered by incessant rains. 14 people have died and at least 31 are still missing.
The disaster has destroyed over 150 houses, 106 cattle sheds, 14 bridges, and several roads. More than 200 roads remain blocked, and hundreds of power transformers and water supply lines are down, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre cited by news agency PTI.
‘I can only apprise the PM’: Kangana
The BJP MP's visit to Mandi came days after the Congress questioned her absence from her flood-hit constituency. Defending the delay, Ranaut said she had been advised to wait until road 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 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," she posted on X.
Hitting out at the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, she added, “How the state government is functioning, I can say that Congress will not come to power in the state for next 20 years.”
Ranaut stressed that MPs do not directly handle relief operations but act as a link between the Centre and the state. "The relief and restoration works have to be done by the state government, and as an MP, I can only apprise the prime minister and the home minister about the situation and seek liberal assistance," she said.
Kangana Ranaut added that MPs cannot carry out relief or restoration work directly, and their role is limited to pushing for support from the Centre. However, Ranaut said she would try to get central assistance.
She also said that the administration was actively working on the ground. “Our government and administration are closely monitoring the situation, and relief efforts are underway. Road connectivity is being restored. Our teams in every affected area,” she said.
