Congress pays tribute to Former Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh on fourth death anniversary

Shimla (Himachal Pradeh) [India], July 8 (ANI): The Himachal Pradeh Congre Committee (HPCC) on Monday paid homage to former Chief Miniter Virbhadra Singh on hi fourth death anniverary, with enior party leader recalling hi enduring legacy and contribution to the development of the hill tate. The event, held at the Congre headquarter in Shimla, wa attended by party leader, worker, and family member of the late leader.
HPCC preident Pratibha Singh, who i alo the widow of Virbhadra Singh, aid the entire tate continue to remember and draw inpiration from hi work.
Today, the entire Himachal Pradeh i remembering Virbhadra Singh for hi contribution. In the time to come, we mut walk in hi foottep to take Himachal further on the path of development, Pratibha Singh told reporter in Shimla.
Four year have paed ince Virbhadra Singh left u. Today, Congre worker have offered flower and paid their tribute. Everyone know what hi contribution to Himachal Pradeh were and how deeply he wa connected with every citizen. He may no longer be with u phyically, but he live on in every heart. A long a we live, we will keep remembering him, he added while peaking to ANI.
She alo aid that there would be a delay in the tatue unveiling a tribute plan were impacted by rainfall.
Pratibha Singh alo referred to a plan to unveil a tatue of Virbhadra Singh, which wa cheduled for June 23, hi birth anniverary and wa potponed to July 25 a enior Congre leader Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi wanted to attend but were not available for the day. Now, the ceremony ha been potponed again due to the monoon diater.
We had planned to unveil hi tatue on June 23, which wa hi birth anniverary. Sonia Gandhi had ent a meage, and I had peronally invited her. She aid he would certainly come. Priyanka Gandhi wa alo expected to attend, but he wa travelling abroad and thu could not make it, o we had planned it for July 15. Now, I think due to the rain, flood and diater, we will have to potpone it for the next day, Singh explained.
Given the current calamity in Himachal and the heavy rain, we are now conidering potponing the programme cheduled for July 15. A new date will be finalied baed on the ituation, he aid.
Speaking about the ongoing rain diater, Singh aid the Seraj area had uffered maive damage, along with Dharmapur, Nachan, and Karog.
A large number of live have been lot. Houe and cowhed have been wept away. In Nachan, nine member of a ingle family have died. Karog ha alo een devatating damage. I viited the affected area while my on and PWD Miniter Vikramaditya Singh were touring Seraj, he aid.
In Karog, all the tream and drain have flooded home, People land and livetock have been lot. A few bodie are yet to be recovered. The police and army are working with dog quad to locate miing peron. If the bodie are found, we will be able to return them to their familie for proper lat rite, he added.
She noted that the IPH (Irrigation and Public Health) department had uffered the mot damage.
The water upply network connecting village ha been completely dirupted. People are truggling to get drinking water. Tanker have been deployed and are upplying water to affected area. I viited the IPH office and urged official to enure the quick retoration of the water upply, Singh aid.
She appealed for united relief effort and alo quetioned the MP ilence. Urging political unity, Singh emphaied that the tragedy trancended party line.
Thi i not a time to play politic between Congre and the BJP. Both partie worker are engaged in relief work. We all mut raie our voice before the Centre. Relief hould be releaed immediately to the affected, he aid.
Ive been told that in many area, people are facing food hortage. The ration i being air-dropped by helicopter. Thi i extremely tragic, Singh aid.
She alo took a veiled wipe at BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who recently won from Mandi in the Lok Sabha election.
I dont know what language he (Kangana Ranaut) i uing. The people of Mandi are already regretting having elected her. The MP mut raie Himachal voice in Delhi, take it to Modi Ji government, he aid.
If he participate in the Parliament eion, he hould raie the iue of the extenive damage in Himachal. Only then will Himachal get the attention it deerve, Singh aid.
Kuldeep Singh Rathore, AICC pokeperon and Congre MLA, aid leader like Virbhadra Singh are born only once in a generation.
On thi fourth death anniverary, Congre worker have gathered at the party office to pay homage to him. He erved a CM ix time, wa a Member of Parliament, and played a crucial role in building modern Himachal along with Dr Yahwant Singh Parmar. He will alway be remembered a the architect of modern Himachal, Rathore aid.
He worked above cate and regional line and championed incluive development. I had the chance to work with him a NSUI preident and a HPCC chief during hi final year. Hi bleing alway guided me. The people of Himachal will alway remember him for hi good work, he added.
On the iue of Apple farmer and import duty concern, he aid it may bring down the duty.
Speaking about the apple grower crii, Rathore aid the BJP promie of raiing the Minimum Import Price (MIP) wa mileading a, depite being increaed, it wa not put into practice.
The BJP leader are talking about raiing the MIP, but it eem like a hollow promie. We fear that import dutie might be reduced intead. Any agreement like thi mut be bilateral, not one-ided. We have trongly preented our cae. I thank all leader working incerely, including Anurag Thakur, who wrote to the Union Miniter, he aid.
Thi i not about Congre or the BJP. All MP hould tand united to protect R 5,000crore Himachal apple economy, which i facing a crii, he aid.
Rathore alo expreed hope that the Centre will upport Himachal in the third conecutive natural calamity.
Rathore alo appealed for urgent central aitance a Himachal face another evere calamity.
Thi i the third time in recent year that Himachal ha faced the fury of nature. We till havent received complete aid for the lat diater. Our tate ha limited reource. Without central upport, we cannot recover, he aid.
The wort-hit area include former CM Jairam Thakur contituency. Im ure he, too, i concerned. The Centre mut come forward to help Himachal, Rathore added. (ANI)