Actor-Mandi MP faces 'Go back Kangana, you are late' slogan in Himachal's rain-affected area

Shimla, Sep 18 (PTI) Slogans of 'Go back Kangana, you are late' rent the air on Thursday when the Bollywood actor and BJP MP from Mandi visited a rain-affected area in Himachal Pradesh's Manali.

Videos of locals expressing their resentment against Kangana Ranaut's visit to Patlikuhal area of Manali in Himachal's Kullu district went viral on the internet. In the video, local people holding black flags and shouting slogans are seen near the carcade of the actor-politician.

Heated arguments were also witnessed when BJP leaders and others accompanying Kangana tried to pacify the residents, and police had to intervene to restore peace.

Heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods at several places in Kullu and Manali on August 25 and August 26, with strong currents of the Beas River washing away a multi-storey hotel and four shops.

Stretches of Chandigarh-Manali National Highway and Manali-Leh Highway were washed away due to the rising water level of Beas River. Right Bank Road of Manali connecting Kullu city, bus stand and Bindu Dhank also suffered extensive damage.

A house was damaged in Ramshele area in Kullu, water entered houses in the 14 Mile area near Manali and a fish farm was damaged in Patlikuhal as rivers and drains were in spate.

Earlier in the day, Kangana visited the disaster-affected areas of Solang and Palchan in Manali subdivision, interacted with the affected people and took stock of the situation.

She was briefed about the infrastructural and other losses by BJP leader and former MLA from Manali, Govind Singh Thakur, and the residents. Singh said that families of 15-16 endangered houses have been shifted to safer places.

They informed the MP that the whole Solang village is on the verge of sliding as the Beas River is cutting the mountain on which the village is located. Diverting the course of the river by channelising the water is the remedy, they said.

Talking to reporters, she said that the frequency of disasters due to heavy rains has increased manifold, Beas River has become aggressive and deforestation, heavy construction and the absence of proper drainage have added to the problem.

She said that people of Himachal Pradesh have to adopt a holistic approach to save the state as also pointed out by the Supreme Court.

Claiming that Himachal has got Rs 10,000 crore from the Centre, she said that its focus as of now is to give relief to the affected families.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is working day and night to restore roads but the condition of link roads is bad and neither officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) nor the minister are seen anywhere.

Former chief minister late Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya Singh is the Himachal PWD minister.

The Congress government is ruling Himachal Pradesh, she said, and asked where Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi's "vote chor" campaign, Kangana said that he is misleading the people and insulting institutions. "If you have evidence, go to the court," she said. PTI BPL KSS KSS