CM of Himachal Pradesh Sukhu: BJP engaged in small-minded politics during the rainy calamity

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said today that the state BJP leadership was playing small-time politics and was preventing the Central Government from providing financial support during last year’s monsoon crisis.

Sukhu said in a statement released here that while Himachal did not get additional funding from the federal government, the state government still helped over 25,000 people who had lost their homes due to the unusually heavy rains that left extensive damage in their wake.

“The state government announced a Rs 4,500 crore special relief package from its own resources so that people could be provided with enhanced relief to build their houses in the absence of a special financial package from the Center,” Sukhu added. He said, “There has been a significant improvement made to the relief to be provided for damage to houses, which was very minimal in the relief manual.”

“What is most unfortunate is that the state BJP leaders engaged in petty politics and prevented the Centre from extending special financial assistance to Himachal as had been done in the case of many other states at a time when people were suffering due to the havoc wreaked by rains and floods,” the man said.

According to Sukhu, the Himachal Vidhan Sabha approved a resolution requesting the Centre to rescue Himachal by providing a special financial package so that the state could carry out the relief and restoration activities, but the BJP MLAs refused to back it. He said, “Our government is committed to helping everyone, especially the poor and underprivileged, regardless of the state’s financial situation.”