‘It’s a right, not privilege’: Kangana Ranaut raises crucial issue concerning her Himachal constituency in Parliament

Munish Sood
MANDI: Facing criticism over her absence from both Parliament and her constituency Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, MP Kangana Ranaut finally broke her silence in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (March 11, 2025).

Addressing the House for about four minutes, she raised a crucial issue concerning her constituency — the persistent power crisis in the upper Himalayan regions during winters.

Her speech comes at a time when public resentment has been growing in Mandi, with voters accusing her of being largely unavailable in the constituency after winning the election.

Social media has been flooded with criticism and opposition leaders have questioned whether she was serious about her political innings.

Harsh winters, weeks of power outages

Kangana Ranaut said that remote areas in Mandi like Seraj, Banjar, Anni and Kullu suffered severe electricity shortage due to heavy snowfall.

She pointed out that entire villages were plunged into darkness for weeks as power infrastructure failed to withstand extreme weather conditions.

The frequent low voltage and prolonged blackouts not only made daily life difficult but also disrupted small businesses and essential services, she said.

‘Electricity is a right, not privilege’

In her speech, Kangana underscored the importance of uninterrupted electricity, stating, “Every citizen deserves reliable power supply, regardless of geographical challenges.”

She acknowledged the central government’s Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana for rural electrification but stressed that Himachal’s upper regions require additional infrastructural improvements.

She made a direct appeal to the Ministry of Power and the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board, urging them to upgrade power distribution systems in snowfall-prone areas, install high-capacity transformers and ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply to prevent hardships during winters.

While raising a local issue in Parliament is being seen as a welcome step, Kangana’s prolonged absence from Mandi remains a major concern among voters. Since her election, she has barely visited her constituency, fuelling criticism that “she is more focused on her acting career than political responsibilities”.

Many in her constituency feel disconnected from their MP as grievances related to infrastructure, roads and employment remain unaddressed. Her critics argue that raising issues in Parliament is not enough as she must also be present on the ground to monitor their resolution.