Himachal CM slams BJP leaders for not helping disaster-hit residents

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday (September 5, 2025) hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing its leaders of staying limited to ‘social media’ platforms for their activities while failing to provide tangible assistance to disaster-affected residents.

He said Congress leaders were actively engaging with affected communities and working to reduce the suffering caused by the disaster. The State government was extending assistance to the affected families from its own limited resources, as no support had so far been received from the BJP-led Central government, said the Chief Minister during his visit to disaster-affected areas of Kullu district.

Mr. Sukhu said the State government had requested the Centre to provide ‘one bigha’ of forest land to each affected family to help them resettle in safer locations. As 68% of the State’s land was categorised as forest land and the State could not provide such land without the Centre’s approval, he was urging the BJP and its MPs to seek support of the Union government to approve the allotment of one bigha of forest land per family, along with a special relief package.

World Bank assistance

The Chief Minister said the State government had also prepared a project worth ₹3,000 crore to obtain assistance from the World Bank for disaster management to help rebuild and rehabilitate the affected families.

“This year’s monsoon had caused widespread devastation, which led to heavy loss of lives and property. During the past four days, rainfall had caused further damage in various parts of the State. The State government was extending every possible support to those affected and directives have been issued to district administrations to provide maximum assistance to the affected families,” he said.

Mr. Sukhu said the administration had engaged the services of Army Chinook and MI-17 helicopters to rescue devotees stranded during the ‘Manimahesh Yatra’ in Chamba district and airlifted them safely from Bharmour to Chamba.