Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi on Wednesday courted controversy when he said in Assembly that BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut visited the disaster hit areas days after the tragedy as her makeup would have got ruined in rain.
Taking a jibe at the Lok Sabha MP from Mandi in the state, Negi also said she shed crocodile tears while other law-makers stayed at the site over night to help the affected people.
"Barsat mein aise he nahin aana tha unhone, kyoki makeup kharab hona tha. Pata he nahin lagna tha ke Kangana hai ke Kangana ke maa hai" (She would have not come during rains as her makeup would have been spoiled and it would have become difficult to recognise whether it is Kangana or her mother)," he said.
Negi's remarks came after Kangana shared images of her visit to a flood-devastated region of her home state.
The state BJP took exception to Negi's comment questioning the values of the Congress minister "who is insulting woman-power even inside the Assembly".
Later, talking to PTI over the phone, Negi clarified and said, "It was just a jibe and not an insult." Slamming Kangana earlier in the day, Negi said she visited the cloudburst affected areas in her constituency after seven days and shed crocodile tears.
The toll in the flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in Shimla, Kullu and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh on July 31 midnight has crossed 32 while several people are still missing.
Kangana had visited the disaster sites on August 7. All the affected areas are a part of the actor's Mandi Lok Sabha seat.
"Giving relief to victims on time is important during disasters. If there is a cloudburst today and we reach after two days like Kangana, who said that some officers and legislatures told her that there is an orange and red alert, do not come and that two a time when over 30 people have died," he said in the Vidhan Sabha.
The tragedy had occurred in Kullu's Nirmand, Sainj and Malana, Mandi's Padhar and Shimla's Rampur and the worst hit was Samej village on the border of Shimla and Kullu district.
During her visit, Kangana had accused the state Congress government of doing "nothing" to help the victims.
A total of 153 people have died in rain-related incidents during the ongoing monsoon season from June 27 till September 2 and the state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1,271 crore, officials said.
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