Centre ignoring Cong-ruled states, Himachal didn't get adequate help for disasters: Priyanka

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday accused the Union government of not providing adequate help to disaster-hit Himachal Pradesh, claiming that the Centre was "ignoring" states ruled by the Congress. She made the remarks during a rally that followed after a statue was of six-time Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh was unveiled by senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at Daulat Singh Park on the historic Ridge Ground in Shimla. "After Sukhvinder Sukhu became CM, heavy rains hit Himachal, but the Union government did not provide adequate help to Congress-ruled state despite several requests," Priyanka said. She alleged that the BJP government, which was only interested in winning elections, has discriminated against the Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh. From June to September this monsoon, 47 cloudbursts, 98 flash floods and 148 major landslides were reported in the state, killing 270 people in rain-related incidents. The total loss was pegged at Rs 5,426 crore.

In the last two years, too, Himachal Pradesh saw thousands of crores worth of damage, according to state authorities. Priyanka also accompanied her mother, Sonia, in paying tributes to Virbhadra Singh during the inauguration of the late leader's statue. The six-foot-tall bronze statue is placed near the statues of notable leaders such as YS Parmar, the first chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, Mahatma Gandhi and former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Later addressing the rally, Priyanka said, "We need leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Virbhadra Singh who always followed the path of honesty and truth and remained dedicated to people's development". "Unfortunately, there are very few leaders following this path in the country but Congress's Rahul Gandhi is raising issues of the people fearlessly," Priyanka said. She asserted that one needs to go beyond "social media and PR" to work for the people. "When I came for canvassing in the last elections, people told me about Virbhadra Singh's connect with the people and his simple behaviour as was the tradition with Congress leaders. And I am happy that Chief Minsiter Sukhu has taken forward the tradition," she said. "It is true that we love this land, the mountains and the valleys," she said, exhorting everyone to save the hills. Priyanka said the Congress will try to fulfil the "cherished dream of our ancestors", underlining that right mindset and honest politics is important for the development of the nation. She also extended Diwali greetings to the people of the state.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also praised Virbhadra Singh as the "sadak, bijli aur development ka neta" (the leaders known for his work on roads, electricity and development). "He was so connected with the people that he opened schools for even one student," Sukhu said. Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri thanked Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi for attending the rally held in honour of Virbhadra Singh, who he said had an emotional relation to the people of the state. "People were waiting for this moment for a long time." Agnoihotri also lauded Indira Gandhi who as prime minister in 1971 announced the complete statehood of Himachal Pradesh from the Ridge Ground. Scion of the Rampur-Bushahr royal family, Virbhadra Singh first took office as chief minister on April 8, 1983 and spent the next four decades in public life, becoming the CM five more times. He died in 2021 after a prolonged illness. Singh's wife, Pratibha Singh, is the state party chief and his son, Vikramaditya Singh, is the Public Works Minister in the Himachal Pradesh government. Both the leaders struck an emotional chord with the people and thanked them to grace the occasion. The statue unveiling and a rally that followed, were organised by Vikramaditya Singh, who is also the chairman of the Raja Virbhadra Singh Foundation. The statue's unveiling was initially planned for Virbhadra's birth anniversary on June 23, but was postponed. A company linked to renowned sculptor Ram V Sutar and his son Anil Ram Sutar built the statue at Rs 40 lakh -- Rs 24 lakh for construction and Rs 16 lakh for installation. Ram Sutar was also behind the 182-ft Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue built to honour Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. A huge number of party workers and the general public turned up for the event. Security was tightened and around 400 police personnel were deployed for the event. The city was divided into five security sectors with a special plan for traffic and parking. The movement of transport and utility vehicles and heavy vehicles within the city was suspended till 3 pm. Congress leaders Sachin Pilot and Deepender Hooda were also present at the event besides Congress's state in charge, Rajni Patil, cabinet ministers of the state and Congress leader Rajiv Shukla.