Ex-CM Jai Ram slams Sukh govt, says ‘vyavastha parivartan’ has turned into ‘vyavastha patan’
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Dharamshala: On Monday, Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur, strongly criticised the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government during a press conference, renaming its “Vyavastha Parivartan” campaign as “Vyavastha Patan” (system downfall).
Thakur accused the government of failing in its governance and attributed the Congress party’s defeat in Haryana to the poor performance of the Himachal Pradesh government.
Failure to acknowledge central support
Thakur pointed out that despite Chief Minister Sukhu’s statements advocating federalism, he has failed to acknowledge the substantial financial support the state has received from the central government. “The government has been able to pay salaries on time only because the central government released Rs 1,490 crore to Himachal Pradesh as its share in central taxes. In addition, special assistance of approximately Rs 1,500 crore has been provided, compared to Rs 800 crore during the BJP’s tenure,” Thakur stated.
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He further highlighted that under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), aimed at improving road connectivity across the state, the central government allocated Rs 2,700 crore.
Lack of contribution to Central University project
Addressing the stalled Central University of Himachal Pradesh project, Thakur alleged that the Congress government has prioritised benefitting Chief Minister Sukhu’s close associates over contributing to state development projects. “Despite being a crucial initiative, the state government has failed to contribute Rs 30 crore for the Central University project. This is yet another instance of ‘Vyavastha Patan’,” Thakur remarked.
Empty promises over tourism capital
Thakur also criticised the Sukhu government’s declaration of making the region the “Tourism Capital” of Himachal Pradesh, calling it a hollow statement. “No action has been taken to fulfill this promise. The so-called ‘Vyavastha Parivartan’ has forced the people of Palampur to approach the High Court, challenging the government’s decision to allocate prime land for private entrepreneurs under the guise of developing a ‘tourism village’,” he added.
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Attacks on media a threat to democracy
The Leader of Opposition expressed serious concerns over what he described as the government’s attempts to suppress the media. Thakur referred to several instances, including the recent filing of an FIR against a journalist, legal notices sent to 10 journalists in Bilaspur demanding Rs 5 crore in damages for a news story, and a controversial government notification regarding the Kullu Dussehra event, where the media was instructed to maintain a distance from the Chief Minister.
“This government is setting a dangerous precedent by terrorising the media. Such acts are nothing short of an attack on the freedom of the press, which is the fourth pillar of democracy. I strongly condemn this authoritarian behavior,” Thakur stated.
Industrial decline and hike in tax
Thakur also highlighted the deteriorating state of industries in Himachal Pradesh under the current government. “Many industrialists are planning to exit the state due to the unfriendly policies of the Congress government. Moreover, the government has imposed new taxes on basic necessities such as drinking water, adding further burdens on the people,” he said.
