HP govt's celebration in disaster-hit Mandi 'inhuman', should be cancelled: Jai Ram Thakur

Leader of Opposition in Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Jai Ram Thakur, on Tuesday said that the Congress government's ''celebration'' of three years in office was ''inhuman'' and it should be cancelled.

Participating in a discussion under Rule 130 of the Assembly, Thakur said that instead of spending money on celebrations, the government should use it for relief and rehabilitation of disaster-affected people.

He said Himachal Pradesh has so far received Rs 5,250 crore from the Centre for disaster relief.

After the 2023 monsoon calamity, the state government had announced a relief package of Rs 4,500 crore but even Rs 300 crore has not been spent, Thakur said, alleging that the government was not serious about disaster relief.

The Disaster Management Act has been invoked in Himachal Pradesh, but the government was not acting according to it, he alleged. The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) refuted the state government's allegations that the Centre was not cooperating. He claimed that the state has received Rs 1,280 crore under State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), Rs 320 crore under State Disaster Management Authority, Rs 1,639 under National Disaster Relief Fund and Rs 9.45 crore under National Disaster Management Authority.

In addition, Rs 2,006 crore have been released to compensate for losses in the 2023 disaster, Thakur added.

He said the state government was asking for the Rs 1,500 crore relief announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be credited directly to the state exchequer so that it can use the fund to pay salaries and allowances, and run its affairs.

Thakur said the people of Mandi, who were severely affected by extensive damage in the district last monsoon, are still in trauma, and hence the government's decision to hold its celebration there is ''insensitive''. He demanded a change of venue.

In response, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu clarified that it was not a celebration, but a ''Sankalp Rally''. No money would be spent for it from the Disaster Fund, and only a minimum amount would be spent from the state exchequer, he said.

Referring to Thakur's claims of Central assistance, Sukhu said the state has received Rs 260 crore under NDRF and SDRF in 2017-18; Rs 280 crore in 2018-19; Rs 454 crore in 2019-20 and Rs 225 crore in 2020-21. He asserted that the Rs 1,500 crore announced by the Prime Minister should come directly to the state exchequer.

Sukhu defended government's decision to disallow BJP's protest rally at Zorawar Stadium on December 4, saying that it could result in a stampede, since the capacity of the stadium was only 3,000-4,000, while the BJP claims that 10,000-12,000 people are likely to attend. If the BJP insists on holding a rally at the same venue and applies for it, the government would decide whether to grant the permission or not, Sukhu said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)