Himachal: BJP submitted a memorandum on two years of ‘Congress misrule’

Himachal Pradesh: Accusing the Himachal Pradesh government of stalling the implementation of centrally sponsored schemes by creating hurdles, the BJP today submitted a memorandum to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, highlighting the lapses committed during the two years of ‘Congress misrule’ in Himachal Pradesh. Led by Himachal Pradesh BJP in-charge Shrikant Sharma, co-in-charge Sanjay Tandon, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, state BJP president Rajiv Bindal, MPs, MLAs and senior party functionaries, the BJP leaders reached Raj Bhawan to submit a 110-page memorandum to the Governor on ‘two years of misrule’ in Himachal Pradesh. The BJP leaders took out a march to the Raj Bhawan while the state government was holding a rally in Bilaspur to highlight its achievements in its two years of rule. Talking to media persons, former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said two years have passed but the guarantees are still not fulfilled. ‘What happened to the guarantees on the basis of which you came to power? Nor have you given one lakh jobs, Rs 1500 to women, 300 units of free electricity, start-up scheme and any scheme for cow dung purchase, he said.
The BJP prominently highlighted the failed guarantees made by the Congress ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. The document details various scams in the two years of Congress rule and the state government’s attempts to obstruct the implementation of central projects such as the construction of Bhanupalli and Baddi rail line and Kangra Central University. The memorandum mentions alleged corruption in the CM’s office, ‘Himachal on sale’ and tainted officials being given good postings. The BJP alleged corruption in relief distribution during the 2023 disaster and mining, liquor, land, outsourced, scrap and forest mafia “flourishing under government protection”. The memorandum also highlighted alleged irregularities in the ADB-funded five-star hotel project proposed in the CM’s assembly constituency Naidun. A part of the memorandum details the anti-people decisions taken by the state government in the last two years, including the imposition of Rs 7 VAT on diesel, withdrawal of power subsidy, Rs 150 hike in the price of cement bags, hike in power rates for bus travel and domestic and industrial consumers. The memorandum also mentions the embarrassing situation caused to the Himachal government due to adverse court orders.