CM celebrating, rain-hit people suffering : Jai Ram

Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur today sharply criticised the state government, alleging that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was spending crores on a one-day celebration in Mandi while disaster-hit villagers continued to suffer. He urged the CM to visit Kuklah village near Pandoh, just 20 km from the Paddal Ground rally site, to witness the real situation even months after the monsoon devastation.

Thakur, who met affected families in Kuklah, said that even five months after the June 29 floods washed away the Baglamukhi temple access and the Kalhani–Kashaud road and bridge, the government had failed to install a temporary Bailey bridge. Residents of 15 panchayats in Mid-Seraj still trek long distances carrying essential supplies due to lack of road connectivity.

He directed officials to restore the route within a week and build a temporary crossing to allow vehicle movement. Thakur said rehabilitation work had been neglected and villagers continued to rely on makeshift paths and ropeway systems.

He accused the Chief Minister and his ministers of “boasting without understanding ground reality” and questioned the need for celebrations when disaster victims remained unaided. He added that the CM had not visited other severely affected regions, including Kullu, Banjar, Larji, Sainj and parts of Mandi, where several villages suffered massive destruction.