Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday accused the Central government of not providing enough help to disaster-struck Himachal Pradesh. She said the Centre was “ignoring” states ruled by the Congress.
She stated this during a rally after senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi unveiled a statue of six-time Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at Daulat Singh Park on the historic Ridge Ground in Shimla.
“After Sukhvinder Sukhu became CM, heavy rains hit Himachal, but the Union government did not provide adequate help to Congress-ruled state despite several requests,” Priyanka said.
She alleged that the BJP government, which focuses only on winning elections, has discriminated against Himachal Pradesh, which is ruled by the Congress.
From June to September this monsoon season, Himachal reported 47 cloudbursts, 98 flash floods, and 148 major landslides, killing 270 people. Rain-related losses were reported at Rs 5,426 crore.
In the past two years, the state has also suffered thousands of crores worth of damage, as per the state authorities. Priyanka, along with her mother Sonia, paid tributes to Virbhadra Singh during the inauguration of his statue.
The six-foot-tall bronze statue is placed near the statues of other notable leaders such as YS Parmar, Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Later, addressing the rally, Priyanka said, “We need leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Virbhadra Singh who always followed the path of honesty and truth and remained dedicated to people's development.”
“Unfortunately, there are very few leaders following this path in the country but Congress's Rahul Gandhi is raising issues of the people fearlessly,” she added.
She emphasised that real work for the people goes beyond “social media and PR.”
“When I came for canvassing in the last elections, people told me about Virbhadra Singh's connect with the people and his simple behaviour as was the tradition with Congress leaders. And I am happy that Chief Minsiter Sukhu has taken forward the tradition,” Priyanka said.
“It is true that we love this land, the mountains and the valleys,” she said, urging everyone to protect the hills.
Priyanka said the Congress will try to fulfill the “cherished dream of our ancestors,” highlighting that honest politics and the right mindset are crucial for the nation’s development. She also extended Diwali greetings to the people of Himachal.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu praised Virbhadra Singh as the “sadak, bijli aur development ka neta” (a leader known for works on roads, electricity, and development).
“He was so connected with the people that he opened schools even for a single student,” Sukhu said.
Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri thanked Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi for attending the rally. He said Virbhadra Singh had a deep emotional bond with the people. "People were waiting for this moment for a long time,” he added.
Agnihotri also lauded Indira Gandhi, who as Prime Minister in 1971 announced full statehood for Himachal Pradesh from the Ridge Ground.
Virbhadra Singh, scion of the Rampur-Bushahr royal family, first became Chief Minister on April 8, 1983. Over the next four decades, he served five more terms and passed away in 2021 after a prolonged illness.
His wife, Pratibha Singh, is the state Congress chief, and his son, Vikramaditya Singh, is Himachal’s Public Works Minister. Both struck an emotional chord with the public and thanked them for attending.
The statue unveiling and rally were organised by Vikramaditya Singh, chairman of the Raja Virbhadra Singh Foundation. The unveiling was initially planned for Virbhadra’s birth anniversary on June 23 but was postponed.
A company linked to renowned sculptor Ram V Sutar and his son Anil Ram Sutar built the statue at a cost of Rs 40 lakh, Rs 24 lakh for construction and Rs 16 lakh for installation. Ram Sutar also designed the 182-ft Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue built to honour Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
A large number of party workers and the public attended the event. Security was tightened, with around 400 police personnel deployed.
The city was divided into five security sectors, with special arrangements for traffic and parking. Movement of transport, utility, and heavy vehicles was suspended until 3 pm.
Congress leaders Sachin Pilot and Deepender Hooda were also present, along with state in-charge Rajni Patil, state cabinet ministers, and party leader Rajiv Shukla.
Also Read: Sonia Gandhi unveils Virbhadra Singh’s statue in Shimla
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