SHIMLA : In the latest salvo terming Congress "White Paper" as “White lies”, former CM and Leader of Opposition BJP, Jai Ram Thakur today lambasted Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu saying that Sukhu will go down in the history as the "CM who is shamelessly renaming the schemes after his own name and creating brand for himself".
Launching an attack against CM Sukhu Thakur and White Paper tabled in the Vidhan Sabha at the press conference he addressed here today, Jai Ram Thakur claimed that Congress party presented a "bundle of lies" in the form of a White Paper on the state's financial mess in Vidhan Sabha.
Thakur criticized the Chief Minister's self-named schemes, suggesting they were more about "personal branding than serving the state's interests".
CM is busy renaming schemes after him and putting his name plates in place of old ones, he charged.
Thakur minced no words, stating that the figures contained in the White Paper were "false, wrong, and beyond the truth."
BJP leader pointed fingers at the Congress party, alleging that the mismanagement had its roots in their rule from 1993 to 1998 when they had incurred a significant loan of Rs 1000 crore in the name of the Electricity Board. Thakur emphasized that this loan was unjustifiable.
He didn't spare the Congress's subsequent rule from 2012 to 2017, alleging an unnecessary loan of over Rs 20,000 crore during that time.
The Leader of Opposition firmly rejected the White Paper's claims, declaring that it should be relegated to the dustbin.
Thakur highlighted the BJP's efforts to pay off the Congress-era debt, including clearing employee dues and adhering to the FRBM Act, which he accused the previous government of disregarding.
The blame game extended to GST compensation, with Thakur accusing the Congress of misleading the public. He argued that for Himachal Pradesh to progress, concrete actions were needed.
Turning to development projects, Thakur underscored the BJP's achievements, mentioning the successful Global Investor Meet and ground-breaking ceremonies that led to substantial investments in the state.
He urged the current government to make efficient use of allocated funds, citing instances where allocated money was rumored to be diverted.
The opposition leader also raised questions about the allocation of funds for Mandi Airport and Kangra Airport expansion, calling for transparency in the usage of these resources.
On the issue of excise policy and hydel policy, Thakur accused the government of failing to attract investors and questioned their promises made to people.
He lauded the BJP's Janam Manch initiative, asserting that it had effectively addressed citizens' concerns through numerous organized events.
The political bickering in Himachal Pradesh serves as a stark reminder of how politicians often engage in blame games.
