Shimla – Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur has launched a scathing attack on the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government, accusing it of prioritising liquor sales over children’s education in Himachal Pradesh. Thakur alleged that the government is shutting down thousands of schools and colleges while opening liquor shops even in sensitive areas near schools and Anganwadi centres.
“A new model of system change is underway in the state where educational institutions are being closed down in large numbers, and liquor vends are being opened nearby. What kind of vision is this?” Thakur asked. He said the public is rising in protest across the state, especially over the opening of liquor shops near schools. “People are pleading for the future of their children, but the government is not listening. In some cases, the public is even being forced to approach the courts for justice,” he added.
Thakur reminded the public of an incident in Bilaspur last year, where local women opposed a liquor shop near an Anganwadi centre. “Rather than listening to the people, a government officer reportedly told them to move the Anganwadi elsewhere. Is this the roadmap for a ‘self-reliant Himachal’?” he questioned.
Criticising the government’s management of liquor contracts, Thakur said, “Now the government is pressurising resource-starved municipal corporations to run unsold liquor contracts. Employees who are meant to serve the public are being dragged into liquor-related work just to inflate excise figures.”
The Leader of Opposition also targeted the government’s tall claims on excise revenue. He said the government has consistently claimed a 40% rise in revenue from liquor since taking office, but failed to meet even modest targets. “If those claims were true, the government would have set a target of ₹4,000 crore this year instead of ₹2,800 crore. The reality is they have failed even to achieve double-digit growth in excise revenue. Compare this to the last year of the BJP government, where we achieved a 22% increase.”
Calling for a course correction, Thakur urged the government to focus on protecting the interests of school-going children rather than chasing excise earnings. “Education must come before alcohol. The government must rethink its priorities before the damage becomes irreversible,” he warned.
