Munish Sood
MANDI:
Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi has sparked a fresh controversy after questioning the timing of the recent blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, which killed 12 persons. His comments have drawn strong reactions and renewed debate over his history of provocative statements.
Negi said it was “strange that such incidents tend to happen close to elections”. “Why do these incidents occur only when elections are near? It happened during Pulwama, it happened in Pahalgam and now just before the Bihar polls,” he said.
The minister also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “It is unfortunate that whenever there is a crisis in the country, the Prime Minister is abroad.”
History of controversial comments
This is not the first time Negi has made headlines for his statements. Earlier, he had attacked former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, accusing him of political drama during relief operations.
He also faced criticism for his remarks about actor and MP Kangana Ranaut, saying she delayed visiting disaster-hit areas because her “makeup would have been ruined”, a comment that many found offensive and insensitive.
Negi also expressed anger over the Centre’s delay in releasing the Rs 1,500 crore relief package announced for Himachal Pradesh after this year’s monsoon disaster. “There is no use announcing help if it does not reach people on time,” he said.
BJP slams Negi for remarks against PM Modi
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly condemned Negi’s remarks, calling them disrespectful and politically motivated. Party spokesperson Ajay Thakur said, “Such derogatory statements show the Congress party’s moral decline. Prime Minister Modi stands with the people during every crisis, yet Congress leaders continue to make irresponsible comments.”
Thakur added that Negi himself has admitted the state’s weak financial position, which he said was the result of Congress’s poor governance. “The Sukhu government has pushed Himachal into a debt trap and is crushing the dreams of its people,” he said.
He also accused senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, of being indifferent to people’s suffering. “During natural disasters, BJP leaders and central ministers provided all possible help, while the Congress government remained missing,” Thakur claimed.
Negi’s latest remarks have once again placed the state government in a difficult position. Political analysts say his repeated controversial statements often blur the line between political criticism and national sensitivity.
