NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday slammed the Samajwadi Party, calling it a “Sampradayik Party” (communal party) over former SP MP ST Hasan’s remarks linking the Uttarkashi flash floods to religious intolerance in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.Reacting to Hasan’s remarks, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “SP should now mean ‘Sampradayik Party’. These are the same people who consider kanwariyas as terrorists and tear apart Ramcharitmanas… These are the same people who insult Sanatan Dharma. When people of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are facing natural calamities, these people are saying that all this is happening because people of those states do not respect other religions...”On Friday, Hasan, a former MP from Moradabad, told reporters, “Uttarakhand mein aur Himachal Pradesh mein doosre ke mazhab ka koi bhi samman nahi ho raha hai… Is duniya ko chalane wala koi aur hai, jab uska insaaf hota hai to phir aadmi kahin se bhi apne aap ko nahi bacha pata hai.” He also suggested that large-scale deforestation in the region had worsened the disaster.Also read: ‘Doosre ke mazhab ka koi bhi samman nahi ho raha hai …’: Former Samajwadi Party MP’s bizzare remark on Uttarkashi tragedyThe controversy follows the August 5 cloudburst in the upper catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river, which triggered a massive flash flood in Dharali village, Uttarkashi. The disaster swept away homes, shops, and roads, leaving heavy destruction. Locals fear that 10 to 12 labourers may be trapped under the debris.Rescue operations are underway with the Army, NDRF, and SDRF teams on site. Union home minister Amit Shah has spoken with Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and directed the ITBP and NDRF to expedite relief efforts. The state’s meteorological department has forecast heavy rainfall until August 10, especially in hilly areas.In Barkot tehsil’s Banala Patti, the overflowing Kud Gadhera stream washed away nearly 18 goats, and preliminary reports suggest several hotels and homestays have been destroyed.