Munish Sood
Mandi:
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has issued a heartfelt appeal to the public to contribute generously to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, aimed at supporting victims of the recent devastating cloudbursts in Mandi district. However, local citizens are questioning why none of the region’s MLAs, ministers and politicians holding other posts have personally not even contributed a single day’s salary.
As many as 15 persons were killed while 27 are missing after several cloudbursts, followed by flashfloods and landslides, hit the Mandi region of Himachal Pradesh on the intervening night of June 30 and July 1. Over 150 roads in the district remain blocked, affecting power and water supplies and delaying relief operations
Public outcry over political apathy
While state and central agencies ramp up rescue efforts, the absence of personal donations from elected representatives has sparked widespread debate.
“They call themselves public servants, but not one has parted with a single day’s salary for those who elected them? This is not true leadership,” remarked Pankaj Gupta, a contractor from Kullu.
Locals in Manali and Thunag, the areas hit hardest by landslides, echo similar sentiments. Jai Singh, a farmer from Thunag, said, “In the Thunag area, villages have been torn apart. Families are displaced, fields are buried and food is scarce — yet not one leader came with direct support or a financial gesture. Even a small contribution can offer someone a blanket, a meal or a roof. They came with flashing vehicles but empty hands. If this is governance, we don’t want it.”
Rajneesh Sharma, a Manali travel agent, said, “We ran relief drives from our own pockets. What stopped them?” Citizen volunteers have stepped forward with ration kits, shelter assistance and essential aid, making political silence even more glaring.
Lucky, a trader from Mandi, summed up the public’s anger: “If they truly cared, the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund wouldn’t be empty of their names. Be it the Congress or the BJP, both parties seemed to be two sides of the same neglect. This isn’t a story of party politics. It’s a collective failure. Congress ministers in power have made no personal contributions known to the public. BJP MLAs have been loud in criticism, but quiet in action. Not a single office-holder in government, corporations or boards has publicly donated even a token one-day salary.”
Demands for Accountability
While the CM’s appeal encourages all sections of society to donate, public pressure is mounting on political leaders to lead by example.
Citizens have been demanding at least a day’s salary by all elected representatives, public disclosure of personal contributions, usage of party funds for relief and rehabilitation and formation of independent citizen monitoring committees.
Surinder Thakur, an insurance agent, asserted, “These leaders get paid with our taxes. If they can’t give it back during a disaster, they don’t deserve our votes.”
