BJP Labels Two Years of Congress Governance in Himachal as a Dark Era

Shimla, Dec 11 (NationPress) A delegation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), spearheaded by former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, presented a memorandum to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Wednesday, shedding light on the alleged 'misdeeds' of the Congress-led state government as it marks the completion of two years in office.

'The two-year tenure of the Congress administration will be remembered as a dark era in the state's history because the government is mired in corruption, pushing the state to the brink of financial collapse by unethically benefiting its associates, endorsing wasteful expenditures, and showing gross economic mismanagement, alongside violating law and order,' stated Leader of Opposition Thakur to the media.

Thakur further criticized the Congress government, labeling its duration as riddled with scandals.

'Initially, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has devolved into a hub of corruption. Immediately after Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu assumed the role of Chief Minister, an anonymous letter from a CMO employee was sent to the Prime Minister's Office, alleging that an officer within the CMO was engaging in corrupt practices alongside a senior official from the state electricity board,' Thakur detailed.

'These accusations appear to hold weight as the government is favoring the implicated company through Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. (HPPCL) by extending its project completion timeline for the second time in a board meeting. Instead of imposing a penalty of Rs 162 crore for the missed deadline, the period was prolonged by 1,765 days,' he added.

Moreover, Thakur pointed out that a loss-making company has been awarded a contract worth Rs 150 crore, which has since escalated to Rs 288 crore.

'Additionally, the cost for debris removal has surged from Rs 67 per cubic meter to Rs 88 per cubic meter, and the volume of debris has grown from 1,74,000 cubic meters to 3,74,000 cubic meters, which serves as clear evidence of corruption.'

Highlighting a liquor scam, Thakur stated that the State Excise and Taxation Department auctioned liquor contracts for February-March 2024 where irregularities occurred.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken significant action in the state, temporarily seizing immovable assets valued at Rs 9.31 crore from a Nalagarh-based liquor firm.

'The ED has confiscated properties worth Rs 5.31 crore, including an industrial plot housing a factory, belonging to Kala Amb Distillery and Brewery Private Ltd. in Nalagarh... This action was taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act regarding illegal liquor supply to Bihar. Liquor is also being illicitly imported from neighboring states and sold in Himachal Pradesh, leading to substantial losses in government revenue,' the former Chief Minister claimed.

Accusations against the Congress government also extend to alterations in liquor policy, he added.

'Now, instead of indicating the maximum retail price on liquor bottles, the minimum sale price is displayed. Taking advantage of this, liquor contractors are marketing alcohol at their own preferred prices,' he stated, noting that this change has facilitated favored contractors while defrauding the state treasury.

State BJP President Rajeev Bindal, Himachal BJP co-incharge Sanjay Tandon, Shimla Lok Sabha MP Suresh Kashyap, former Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, and other party officials joined Jai Ram Thakur in submitting the memorandum to the Governor.