No reaction from Pratibha Singh, other top leaders of Himachal
Munish Sood
MANDI:
Despite growing outrage over the brutal d*eath of a woman in Sarkaghat subdivision of Mandi district, most of Himachal Pradesh politicians have failed to react on the incident. Incidentally, BJP MP and Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has remained conspicuously silent on the matter, sparking fierce criticism from locals who point to her own family’s painful history.
Six days after the shocking incident when acid was poured on the woman by her husband, Kangana has yet to issue even a public condolence message. For many residents, the silence is especially hurtful given that both Kangana and the victim hail from the same district and the MP represents the area.
“She reacts to every national issue within minutes. But when a woman from her own district is murdered, not even a tweet? What does that say about our leaders?” said one stunned resident.
Haunting contrast: Kangana’s sister a survivor herself
The sharpest criticism has come not just because Kangana has stayed quiet but because her own sister Rangoli Chandel is an acid attack survivor. In her younger years, Rangoli was attacked by a Muslim youth who had reportedly proposed to her; when she rejected him, he allegedly threw acid on her.
Rangoli’s journey of recovery has been harrowing. She reportedly underwent a large number of surgeries over several years to rebuild her life. Kangana has spoken openly about the trauma the family endured — how her sister lost vision in one eye, suffered severe burns and endured not just physical but deep mental scars.
Given such a personal connection to the horrors of violence against women, many in Mandi believe Kangana’s silence over the recent death is not just political but deeply personal.
Political apathy draws condemnation
The fallout has not been limited to Kangana. Himachal Pradesh Congress president Pratibha Singh, who has also been the Mandi MP earlier, has also been silent, despite her party’s strong roots in Mandi. Likewise, Vidya Negi, Chairperson of the State Women Commission, often vocal on such issues, has not made a public statement, prompting locals to voice their dismay.
From the Chief Minister down to the local MLAs, public empathy has been scant. None of Mandi’s nine MLAs have visited the bereaved family, nor issued a formal statement of condolence. Congress MLA Chander Shekhar reportedly reached out privately and offered financial help, but locals argue that symbolic leadership requires more than private assurances.
Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who is also from Mandi, put out a small condolence message on the sixth day of the tragedy on a day when the woman’s cremation was scheduled.
One exception, they say, has been Yadupati Thakur, a Youth Congress leader, who personally accompanied the victim’s family to PGI-Chandigarh, arranged cashless treatment and offered financial assistance — the only public figure to physically stand with them in their time of grief.
Outrage spills over on social media
Social media in Himachal Pradesh is now brimming with criticism and calls for accountability.
Rahul Sen, a local resident, asked: “If a woman can be burnt alive in broad daylight and our leaders act as if nothing happened, then what value does a citizen’s life have in this state?”
Activist Deepak Sharma wrote: “This is not just a crime but a judgment on our leaders. Their silence is not political neutrality; it is cruelty.”
Seema Kashyap, a theatre artist and teacher, lamented: “What happened is not just a crime scene but a collective moral failure.”
Ritu Kapoor, a social commentator, warns: “If leaders cannot speak for a woman burnt alive, then what issues do they stand for? Their silence is the most frightening part of this tragedy.”
Writer Keshav Bharati posted: “The flame that killed her has illuminated something bigger — the dead conscience of our political class.”
For the people of Mandi, what is required now goes beyond press statements or token condolences. They are demanding action, accountability and leaders who do not turn away when one of their own is in pain.
