Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday urged the Centre to rise above party politics and demanded that the recent calamity in Himachal Pradesh due to heavy monsoon rains be declared a national disaster.
Gandhi, who visited rain-affected areas of Kullu district along with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and reviewed relief and restoration works, urged the Centre to rise above party politics without taking into consideration whether there is a Congress or BJP government in the state. During her Kullu visit, Gandhi lauded the spirit with which the people and state government are facing the situation. "The people of Himachal have set an example for the nation by uniting and coming to the forefront to help the affected families. People in the state have come forward to donate for those hit by natural calamities and even did 'shram dan' (physical labour) to open roads washed out by rains or blocked by landslides," she said.
Even as the state government is doing far beyond its capacity by using its limited resources to provide succour to the affected families, however, without the assistance of the Union government, it is difficult to restore normalcy and complete renovation works besides providing aid to the people, the Congress leader added. She visited affected areas on her way to Manali from Kullu, including the Sangam Bridge at Bhuntar which was damaged by the overflowing Beas river following heavy rains in July, and interacted with the flood victims at the Aloo ground in Manali.
The farmers and horticulturists of the state have also suffered enormous losses and the Centre should pay heed towards their plight as well. Some big industrial houses, dealing in fruit marketing, have reduced the price of the apple crop thereby causing losses to the horticulturalists, Gandhi said. The Congress leader arrived at the Bhuntar airport in Kullu on Tuesday morning.
Sukhu said that during his recent visit to Delhi, he met Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and detailed him about the damages caused. “I again urged the Prime Minister to declare the calamity as a National Disaster”, said Sukhu.
