Nahan, April 12
Himachal Pradesh BJP President Dr. Rajeev Bindal on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress government, alleging that its three-and-a-half-year tenure under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has “crippled the state’s economy and governance structure,” leaving the people burdened and disillusioned.
Addressing a public rally in Nahan, Dr. Bindal said the government has failed in its primary duty of maintaining law and order, pointing to a noticeable rise in incidents of violent crime, including murder, extortion, gang-related activity and crimes against women. “A sense of insecurity prevails, and criminal networks appear emboldened,” he remarked, alleging political patronage to drug, liquor and scrap mafias.
Dr. Bindal further accused the government of pushing the state into a deep financial crisis. “In just three and a half years, the state has been saddled with an additional debt of ₹45,000 crore, taking the total liability to around ₹1.10 lakh crore,” he said, adding that the burden of this mismanagement is ultimately falling on the common citizen.
Dr. Bindal criticised the government’s taxation and pricing policies, stating that steep increases in VAT on fuel and additional cess have triggered a cascading rise in the cost of living. He cited increases in cement prices, stamp duty, water tariffs, electricity charges, public transport fares and ration costs as evidence of what he termed “systematic economic strain on households.”
Describing the current administration’s approach as a “shutdown-driven model of governance,” Dr. Bindal alleged that nearly 2,500 public institutions—including schools, healthcare facilities and government offices—have been closed or rationalised, adversely affecting access to essential services, particularly in rural areas.
On employment, Dr. Bindal said the government has failed to deliver on its commitments. “Promises of large-scale job creation have not translated into reality, and the state’s youth continue to face uncertainty and limited opportunities,” he said. Dr. Bindal also raised concerns about alleged exclusion of economically weaker sections from welfare schemes, claiming that many families have been removed from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, thereby losing access to essential benefits.
Concluding his address, Dr. Bindal said public dissatisfaction is steadily growing across regions and sections of society. He asserted that the BJP would continue to highlight what it describes as governance failures and stand with the people in raising their concerns through democratic means.
