Rajnath takes stock of floods in north India

Singh had a telephonic conversation with Chief Ministers Akhilesh Yadav (UP), Harish Rawat (Uttarakhand), Nitish Kumar (Bihar) and Vasundhara Raje (Rajasthan) on Monday morning and took stock of the flood situation in their respective state. 

The Chief Ministers briefed the Home Minister and the flood situation and the steps taken for rescue and relief of marooned people. The Chief Ministers also told Singh about the operations carried out by the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Forces in affected areas. 

“I assured the Chief Ministers of full cooperation from the Centre in the flood mitigation drive launched by the states,” an official statement said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has drawn flak and ridicule for a photograph showing him being lifted by security personnel to cross a swollen nullah in the state’s Panna district to meet flood-hit people there, with the Opposition Congress saying it reflected his feudal mindset. 

The picture, which has gone viral on internet with netizens taking pot-shots at the BJP leader, was issued on Sunday by the State Public Relations department after his visit to the rain-ravaged district but was later withdrawn.