Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has sharply criticised the Congress government’s planned three-year celebration, saying the event “does not go down well with the people” at a time when Himachal Pradesh is battling a severe disaster situation.
Addressing the media here on Wednesday, he questioned what achievements the government intended to celebrate, claiming that even senior Congress leaders themselves “seem confused” about the celebration.
Thakur said the state was still struggling with the aftermath of natural calamities, and the Disaster Act remained in force.
Despite this, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was “trying to delay the panchayat elections citing disaster-related issues,” he alleged. In such adverse circumstances, the government’s enthusiasm to celebrate its tenure appeared misplaced, he added.
Accusing the government of failing on multiple administrative and financial fronts, he claimed that payments above Rs 10,000 had been halted by the treasury, salaries and pensions were being delayed, and medical reimbursements — particularly crucial for senior citizens were pending.
He alleged that youth were not getting employment, outsourcing employees were being removed, and more than 15,000 people had already lost their jobs.
He further said that roads across the state were riddled with potholes and basic facilities in rural areas were in disarray.
“Even then, the government is busy preparing for a grand celebration,” he remarked.
Targeting the Congress leadership, Thakur said that although the government was completing three years, it had “nothing to showcase.” He challenged the ruling party to name even one scheme that had made an impact among the people or benefited ten to twenty thousand individuals.
He said that during the previous BJP tenure, schemes like Himcare, Sahara, Swavalamban, Grihini Suvidha, Shagun, and Jan Manch were functioning effectively but the present government had discontinued them.
These initiatives, he said, were widely known among the public and had benefited lakhs of people.
Thakur alleged that the Congress government had failed to run even the existing welfare schemes and was either shutting them down or allowing them to become defunct. “Himcare payments are pending, gas cylinders under Grihini Suvidha are not being provided, and the condition is pathetic. Shagun Yojna for daughters and the Sahara scheme for the helpless have also been stopped,” he said.
He questioned the moral justification of celebrating three years of governance and said the Congress government should withdraw the decision if it had “even a little sense of shame.” Responding to media queries, Thakur said the outcome of the Bihar elections had sent a clear message to the Congress, and its position in Himachal would be “even worse.” He claimed that Congress would be hardly visible in the next Assembly elections.