By Kavita Mistry 
Shimla: Actor-politician and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut courted controversy as she visited flood-affected areas in Manali and talked about the losses her restaurant in the town suffered due to the devastation. She also alleged diversion of central relief funds by the Congress-led state government.
The Mandi Lok Sabha MP arrived in Manali, which falls under her constituency, Thursday, nearly three weeks after the floods and landslides ravaged the town and other regions of Himachal Pradesh.
When reporters and locals questioned her about her delayed visit to the affected areas, she lamented the financial losses to her restaurant in Manali.
“Aap humein hi nochne aayenge to hum kaise kaam karenge? Shaant ho jaiye pehle toh. Ye jaaniye ki mera bhi ghar yahan par hai. Mujh par kya beetati hogi. Mera bhi restaurant yahan par hai jismein kal 50 rupaye ka business hua hai. 15 lakh ki salary hi hai… Mera bhi dard to aap samajhiye na, main bhi insaan hi hoon,” she said.
(If you keep attacking me, how will I work? Calm down first. Please know, I too have a home here. Imagine what I must be going through. I also have a restaurant here that earned just Rs 50 yesterday, while I have to pay Rs 15 lakh in salaries… Understand my pain too, I’m a human too.)
Ranaut’s Manali-based The Mountain Story was launched earlier this year in the region that witnesses heavy tourist footfall.
“Aap jaise main bhi single woman hoon. Mujhe aap aise attack mat kariye ki kahin se queen of England hai aur kahin se kuchh kar nahi rahi hai… Main bhi yahan ki vaasi hoon, aap humein nochne aayenge to ham kaise kaam karenge aapke liye,” she said.
(“Like you, I too am a single woman. Don’t attack me as if I’m the queen of England and doing nothing… I’m a local too, if you keep attacking me, how will I work for you?”)
Her remarks, made during her interactions with flood-affected people, sparked criticism for her focus on personal loss even after arriving to the affected region weeks late.
The floods and landslides, triggered by relentless monsoon rains, have caused widespread destruction across Kullu and Manali, demolishing homes, roads, and livelihoods.
आज मंडी लोक सभा के मनाली विधानसभा क्षेत्र के बाढ़ प्रभावित गाँवों और कस्बों का दौरा कर आपदा से हुए नुकसान का जायजा लिया।
सोलंग नाला, पलचान, बाहँग, समहान, मनाली गाँव, 17 मिल, बिंदु ढांक, 15 मिल, पतलीकुल, नेरी जैसे क्षेत्रों में जाकर प्रभावित परिवारों से मुलाकात की।
संकट की इस घड़ी… pic.twitter.com/dJl0OGA9CQ— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 18, 2025
Geetesh Thakur, a resident of Patlikuhal in Manali, expressed frustration. “Instead of focusing on her distress, she should have brought assistance. As our representative, we expect her to stand with us, especially during a crisis, not just attack the local government.”
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Delayed response
Ranaut coming to Manali weeks after the devastation drew sharp criticism from the Congress party, which had repeatedly questioned her absence from her constituency as people struggled to deal with the situation. She responded by alleging a mismanagement of central funds, and stating she would write to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu about the alleged delays in aid distribution.
“I feel funds are being diverted. There seems to be corruption in (handling) the funds sent by the Centre for disaster relief,” she claimed, targeting the Congress-led state government. She noted that despite over Rs 10,000 crore allocated to Himachal Pradesh over the past three years, many families with damaged homes remain unassisted.
Her convoy faced protests en route Patlikuhl, where locals waved black flags and raised “go back” slogans.
Former Minister Gobind Singh Thakur, accompanying her, alleged, “Congress workers are trying to vitiate the atmosphere.”
In Kullu, Ranaut escalated her accusations, saying, “Pehle bhi kendra se rashi aati rahi hai. Dukh ki baat hai ki andesha lagaya ja raha hai ki yahan se fund divert ho rahe hain. Congress party yahan se fund divert kar rahi hai. Un par bhrashtachar ke bahut aarop lag rahe hain. Ye chinta ka karan hai. Kahin bhi kaam nahi ho raha hai.”
(Funds have been coming from the Centre earlier too. It’s unfortunate that there’s a suspicion of funds being diverted here. The Congress party is diverting funds. They face many corruption allegations. This is a matter of concern. No work is being done anywhere.”)
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior BJP leader and former minister expressed disappointment over her statement. “As the MP of the region, Kangana should have arrived earlier. People don’t expect money but support. Her statements appear insensitive and should have been avoided,” he told ThePrint.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s media advisor Naresh Chauhan criticised her statement, “She was missing when people needed her the most as their representative. Now that she’s here, she should focus on helping people and urge the central leadership to release grants quickly for relief efforts.”
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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