Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched a blistering attack on the BJP, accusing them of leaving behind a "dowry of corruption," recruitment scams, and a financial mess from their five-year rule.
The Chief Minister claimed his government has been taking bold steps to overhaul the system and make Himachal self-reliant.
He claimed BJP was spreading propaganda of loans.
When pressed by mediapersons on key issues like the number of jobs created and beneficiaries of welfare schemes like the ₹1,500 Sukh Samman Nidhi for women, Sukhu evaded providing any concrete data, raising eyebrows about the actual impact of these programs.
BJP’s Dowry of Corruption?
Sukhu didn’t pull any punches as he tore into the BJP, alleging rampant corruption during their tenure.
He highlighted the infamous police recruitment paper leak and claimed that ordinary families suffered due to the BJP’s mismanagement.
"The BJP gave us corruption in dowry," he quipped, adding that his government would bring BJP’s misdeeds to the "people's court."
Promises Galore, But Where Are the Results?
The Chief Minister reeled off a list of his government’s supposed achievements, including:
• ₹1,500 monthly under the Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana: Sukhu said it’s being rolled out in phases but did not disclose how many women have actually benefited so far.
• Rajiv Gandhi Taxi Scheme: Announced with a hefty budget of ₹680 crore, Sukhu claimed it would benefit 23,000 youth. But again, no data was shared on how many have been enrolled or employed under the scheme.
• We created 20,000 Jobs in two years.
• Cow Dung Purchase Scheme: Slated for launch from Bilaspur, Sukhu touted this as a revolutionary step but left the audience wondering about its feasibility and scale.
We will charge Rs 100 on water bills.
Old Pension Scheme: Boon or Burden?
The CM also defended the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), asserting that it was a promise kept despite financial constraints.
"The BJP left us with a ₹15,000 crore salary debt. Yet, we’ve delivered OPS to government employees," Sukhu said. However, critics argue that the financial viability of OPS remains questionable, with no clear roadmap on how the state will sustain it in the long term.
He said they restored old pension scheme that benefitted over 1.36 lakh pensioners in the state. The Centre not releasing Rs 15000 crore due on this count, he claimed.
