Theog: Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur launched a scathing attack on the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government on Saturday, accusing it of betraying the public’s trust by failing to deliver on pre-poll promises and instead burdening citizens with new taxes and fees.
Thakur was addressing a meeting of the BJP District Mahasu unit held in Theog, which was chaired by District President Arun Falta. Criticising the Congress government’s recent decision to introduce a ₹10 fee for health check-up slips—previously free—Thakur said, “Those who came to power promising ₹1500 per month to women are now collecting ₹10 from the public in the name of paperwork.”
He took further jabs at the state government, stating that the Health Minister’s justification—that the fee is meant to prevent slip loss—was absurd. “When patients in Himachal wait four months for CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds, this government talks about robotic surgery. The reality is far from their announcements,” he added.
Praising the BJP-led central government, Thakur said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India had earned global respect. “During the UPA regime, India stood at the 11th position in the world economy; today, we are at the fourth. Triple talaq has been abolished, Article 370 is history, and our centuries-old dream of building the Ram temple has been fulfilled,” he said.
Thakur contrasted the central government’s achievements with what he described as the inaction of the Congress-led state government. “Chief Minister Sukhu feels proud when he stops ongoing welfare schemes. This government will go down in history for halting development work rather than starting it.”
Citing rising fares in state-run buses and increased taxation, Thakur claimed the Congress government had failed to live up to its promises. “If elections were held in Himachal today, BJP would return with a thumping majority,” he asserted. He accused the state government of abandoning the Old Pension Scheme and replacing it with confusing alternatives like the so-called ‘UPS.’
According to Thakur, the people of Himachal are still waiting for the benefits they were promised during the elections. “Instead of giving financial support to women, the government is now charging them ₹10-20 under various pretexts,” he said.
