The BJP has slammed Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's comments apparently blaming labourers from Bihar for the massive damage in the states following heavy rains. Nearly 300 people in the state died as multiple buildings standing on mountain slopes crashed since July. Mr Sukhu has denied making the statement, which was reported by The Indian Express.
"Congress has shown its true colours. No Chief Minister has any right to insult the people of Bihar, be it Arvind Kejriwal or Sukhwinder Sukhu," Anurag Thakur told reporters. "Just to divert attention, you make sarcastic comments about people from another state. You are trying to escape blame by humiliating someone. It should not happen," he said.
"Right now, the ministers should avoid blaming anyone else... It is time we all work together... When the time comes and we come out of the disaster, you bring the report. Why so much damage, what was the reason, why the rescue was delayed? Report on this can come later," he added.
Earlier today, the Chief Minister denied that he had made any comment blaming the migrant labourers from Bihar.
People from Bihar are "just like our brothers" and damage to buildings in the state after rains was "fault of our structural engineering", he said in an interview to news agency ANI.
The Indian Express had earlier quoted the Chief Minister as saying that "migrant architects (masons) whom I call 'Bihari architects' come here and construct floor on floor".
"I did not say anything as such. The people of Bihar were also stuck here. I got them evacuated by helicopters. Around 200 people from Bihar are still stuck here. They are like our brothers. It is the fault of our structural engineering, they are just labourers," the Chief Minister has now told ANI. He said he had made arrangements to rescue Bihari labourers when they were stranded due to rains.