Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur has strongly criticized Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in Himachal Pradesh for increasing electricity bills for farmers.

Thakur on Sunday alleged that the government has hiked the bills by 5 to 6 times, calling the move unjust and unbearable for the farming community.

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He accused the Congress government of hypocrisy—promising 300 units of free electricity during the election campaign but instead burdening citizens with increased rates.

He pointed out that the current administration also discontinued the BJP government’s earlier scheme that provided 125 units of free electricity.

Thakur demanded that the government roll back the decision and provide immediate relief to farmers, warning that the increased bills could severely impact their livelihoods.

He further slammed the state government for using public utilities as revenue-generating tools to cover up administrative shortcomings.

“This kind of treatment toward farmers is unacceptable. The government should adopt a humane approach instead of behaving in an authoritarian manner,” he stated.

Thakur accused the Congress administration of abandoning the welfare-state model by levying excessive taxes and raising transportation costs.

“If only the government had shown the same dedication to public welfare, the situation would have been better,” he remarked.

He highlighted that the government raised the minimum bus fare from ₹5 to ₹10 and increased long-distance fares by more than 15 percent.

He also accused the administration of terminating outsourced employees, silencing the voices of the unemployed, and intimidating government employees with legal threats.

In addition, he alleged that the government has withdrawn the Himcare health benefits and shut down welfare schemes such as Shagun, Sahara, and Swavalamban.