Chamba: Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur has accused the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government of shutting down welfare schemes and abandoning its election guarantees. He was speaking at a conference to honour newly elected representatives in the Bhatiyat and Chamba assembly constituencies of Himachal Pradesh.
Schemes ‘shut down’
Thakur said the state government has stopped the Grahini Suvidha, Shagun, Sahara, Himcare and Swavalamban schemes. He claimed Sukhu has forgotten all poll guarantees. He said the Chief Minister is now talking about creating new districts as assembly elections approach.
‘Public mood is clear’
Thakur said the recent panchayat raj and local body elections reflected the public mood. This, he said, points to the Congress government’s exit from the state. He alleged the state administration tried every possible conspiracy to stop the local polls. The BJP went up to the Supreme Court to get them held, he said.
On Rahul Gandhi and Congress
Thakur alleged that attempts are being made to create anarchy in the country to gain power. He targeted Rahul Gandhi in this context. He said the youth and citizens stand with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted India’s rise from the “fragile five” to a top-four economy. He advised Congress to step out of its frustration and stop pushing the nation into turmoil.
Taxi permit remark in Shimla
In a separate statement in Shimla, Thakur said his promise to extend taxi permit limits from 12 to 15 years has been fulfilled. He said he had ended a hunger strike by taxi operators’ unions on 28 August after raising the issue strongly with the Centre. The state government could have resolved the matter without protests had it acted honestly and seriously, he said. He also recalled that his earlier government waived two years of tax for buses, trucks and taxis during Covid-19.
