Himachal Pradesh is drowning, not just in water, but in questions. While the state battles the brutal aftermath of incessant rainfall, cloudbursts, and landslides, leaving over 85 dead and crores in damages, one voice was conspicuously missing from the chaos: that of Kangana Ranaut, the BJP Member of Parliament from Mandi, one of the hardest-hit districts.
Kangana’s delayed visit, dismissive remarks, and persistent detachment have not only triggered public outcry but also ignited a fierce political firestorm. Her statements, delivered with an unsettling levity, have led many to ask: Is it okay for an elected leader to behave so ignorantly when her constituency is suffering, and when lives have been lost?
Floods Ravage Mandi: A Humanitarian and Political Crisis
The monsoon in Himachal Pradesh this year has been brutal. As per the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), at least 85 people have lost their lives, with 54 directly due to rain-related disasters such as landslides, cloudbursts, and flash floods. Mandi alone reported 17 deaths and suffered catastrophic damage to infrastructure, homes, roads, and livestock.
Over 280 roads, including 156 in Mandi, were rendered unusable, 200 roads, 14 bridges, and several transformers and water supply schemes were destroyed. Entire families were displaced. The Chief Minister pegged the damage estimates at Rs 700 crore, a figure expected to rise.
Yet, Kangana Ranaut, the elected MP from this very region, remained absent during the peak of the tragedy.
“No Funds, No Cabinet”: A Laughable Excuse?
When she finally showed up in Mandi on 6 July, Ranaut did so amid intense backlash from citizens and even party colleagues. Confronted by locals in Seraj, she smirked and said, "Whether it's disaster relief or the disaster itself. I don't have any official cabinet. I have my two brothers who are always with me. That's my cabinet."
She added, “I do not have any funds for disaster relief or hold any Cabinet post. MPs have work that is limited to Parliament.”
This statement, delivered laughing to media persons, came across as shockingly tone-deaf and insensitive, especially to those mourning their loved ones and picking through the remains of their homes.
The Himachal Pradesh Congress didn’t hold back. President Pratibha Singh pointed out that MPs are granted Rs 5 crore annually under the MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme), totaling Rs 25 crore over five years. These funds can and should be deployed in times like these. "She says she has no funds and cabinet… There is no need for a cabinet ministry to serve your people," said Singh.
Even within her own party, there’s discontent. A senior Himachal BJP leader reportedly called her “unfit for politics,” saying, “She thought politics is like Bollywood, about power and limelight. But politics is about responsibility.”
आज मंडी लोक सभा के नाचन विधान सभा के आपदा प्रभावित क्षेत्र पंगलियूर का दौरा किया,
पंगलियूर गांव में आई बाढ़ त्रासदी में बह गए 2 परिवारों के 9 लोग , जिसमें
बाढ़ में बहे 5 लोग अभी भी लापता हैं। इस संकटीय परिस्थिति में पीड़ित परिवार से मिल कर उनके दुख दर्द में शामिल हुई। भगवान… pic.twitter.com/2jyMDTpqBa— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) July 7, 2025
Playing Jhansi Ki Rani on Screen is Easy
Her remarks even drew ridicule from other political quarters. State minister Jagat Singh Negi threw a sharp jab, saying: “Playing Jhansi ki Rani on screen is one thing, but being like her in real life is different.”
Ranaut, who famously portrayed Rani Laxmibai in Manikarnika, had cultivated an image of a fearless patriot. Yet when her constituency needed her most, not for a movie, but for action, she was missing.
Negi also questioned why she hadn’t raised the issue of inadequate compensation for victims in Parliament. “Who is stopping her?” he asked. The Centre gives only Rs 1.5 lakh as compensation for houses destroyed in natural disasters. An MP, especially one from the ruling party, has every right to demand more.
But instead of using her political platform to amplify her constituents’ suffering, Ranaut passed the buck to the state government, accused it of corruption, and claimed she was doing all she could by staying in touch with PM Modi.
“I’m Not Enjoying Politics”: A Disengaged Representative
In a recent podcast, Kangana admitted candidly: “I’m getting a hang of it. I wouldn’t say I’m enjoying it (politics)… Social work has never been my background. I have lived a very selfish kind of life. I want a big house, a big car, diamonds.”
She went on to mock constituents for bringing her “panchayat-level problems” like broken roads and drains.
This level of disengagement is not just disappointing, it’s deeply dangerous. An MP is not a celebrity guest in a constituency. They are the voice, the resource facilitator, and often, in emergencies, the first line of help for the people they represent.
Her refusal to allocate MPLADS funds to schools or disaster-related work, as confirmed by the BJP Mandi district president, further reinforces accusations of negligence.
This is the priority of the MP of Mandi ,while her constituency is battling cloudbursts, landslides & nonstop rain for 3 days, Ms. Kangana Ranaut is busy watching movie trailers.
Thousands suffer, homes washed away, people cry for help , and she chooses Bollywood over Himachal.… https://t.co/pNvh8rrSul pic.twitter.com/olPD6nj5pq— Naughty Himachal (𑚝𑚵𑚔𑚯 𑚩𑚮𑚢𑚭𑚏𑚥) (@NaughtyHimachal) July 1, 2025
BJP in Damage Control: Nadda and Jairam Thakur Step In
Sensing the rising anger and political fallout, BJP President J.P. Nadda and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur rushed to Mandi to manage the situation. Ranaut was notably absent from their visits.
Thakur, when asked about Kangana's absence, responded cryptically: “Those who don’t care, I don’t want to talk about them.”
Clearly, the party is caught in a bind, balancing a high-profile celebrity MP with poor grassroots connect.
A Pattern of Missteps
This is not the first time Kangana has caused discomfort for the BJP with her statements:
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In a podcast, she declared she had no passion for public service.
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During the farmers’ protests, she made incendiary remarks about bodies hanging and rapes, statements that were condemned even by BJP leaders in Punjab and Haryana.
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She previously mocked Mahatma Gandhi on social media and compared PM Modi to an “alpha male's alpha” while taking a swipe at Donald Trump, which she later deleted after a nudge from the party.
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Recently, she called for the return of the repealed farm laws, another controversial move.
The BJP has often had to publicly distance itself from her comments, clearly indicating a disconnect between her statements and the party’s line.
2-3 days ago I was on #mandiconstituency tour, even in clear weather many stones and rocks fell on my car as you can see glasses got cracks and car got multiple dents, right now is not the time to travel to Himachal, like naughty Himachali best place to be at is your keyboard,… pic.twitter.com/2PhUsgeWeQ— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) July 2, 2025
Is Ignorance an Option When Lives Are Lost?
When a state like Himachal Pradesh is reeling under natural disaster, when children lose parents, when entire families sleep under tarpaulins, and when small villages are cut off from the rest of the world, is it acceptable for a Member of Parliament to behave with such detachment, arrogance, and ignorance?
Leadership is not about holding a Cabinet post. It's about showing up when it matters.
Even if Kangana Ranaut believes that her role is limited to Parliament, the trust of her voters doesn’t end at the Parliament gate. She was elected to serve, to respond, to act, not to dismiss legitimate expectations with a laugh.
And if an MP can’t be counted on during a crisis of this scale, then what is the point of electing one?
Kangana Ranaut may be a celebrated actor, but politics is not a movie set. It requires empathy, responsibility, visibility, and humility, qualities sorely missing from her recent actions in the wake of the Mandi floods. Whether this episode becomes a turning point for Himachal’s voters or not remains to be seen.
But one thing is certain: leadership isn’t about theatrics, it’s about presence. And in Mandi’s darkest hour, its MP was nowhere to be found.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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