Shimla, Sept. 24 -- Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) exchanged barbs over central assistance for natural calamities in Himachal Pradesh as industry minister Harshwardhan Chauhan on Tuesday asserted that the Centre had given the state "no charity" and that the support extended was only routine disaster relief provided to every state. Speaking at a press conference in Shimla, Chauhan said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was unnecessarily glorifying the Centre's role, while in reality, Himachal Pradesh did not receive the special economic package it deserved in the wake of devastating natural disasters. "The assistance we received was part of the regular allocation that every state gets under disaster relief and rescue provisions. Yet, the BJP keeps beating drums of praise as if the Centre has flooded Himachal with money," said Chauhan. He pointed out that Himachal suffered damages worth Rs.10,000 crore in 2023 and Rs.5,000 crore in 2025, but over the last five years, the state had received only Rs.4,253 crore through NDRF, SDRF and other channels. "Himachal should have been granted a special economic package, but that did not happen," he added. Hitting out at BJP, Chauhan said, "Jai Ram Thakur and the BJP are showering praise on the Centre as if rivers of money are flowing into Himachal. He goes to Delhi demanding projects and funds specifically for Siraj, but he should be raising the issues of the entire state." Hitting back, former BJP state president and MP Suresh Kashyap, citing the CAG report on Himachal, said, "In 2023 and 2024, Himachal received Rs.9,375 crore as its share of central taxes, Rs.14,942 crore as grants from the Centre, and the total amount of money transferred from the Centre is Rs.24,317 crore. Now, the Congress Party spokesperson and minister should explain whether the CAG report on Himachal is also false. BJP leaders speak on the basis of documents unlike Congress that is making false claims." "PM Narendra Modi visited Himachal to inquire about the condition of disaster-affected people. Following this, seven Union ministers came and prepared reports on ground. However, the people of Himachal yearn to see the CM and his ministers. The ministers of this Congress government themselves were missing during the disaster and are blaming the BJP."...