BJP Protests Outside Himachal Assembly, Accuses Congress Government of Failing on Jobs

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers staged a protest outside the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, accusing the Congress government of failing to fulfil its promises related to employment and government jobs. The demonstration took place during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, with BJP members raising slogans against the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government. The Opposition alleged that despite making major commitments to create jobs, the Congress government had failed to provide adequate employment opportunities to the state's youth.

Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the Congress had promised to provide one lakh government jobs during its first Cabinet meeting after coming to power. He said the party had subsequently promised to create five lakh jobs during its five-year term. Thakur claimed that almost four years had passed since the Congress government assumed office, but the employment promises had not been delivered. He also alleged that the number of government employees in the state had declined rather than increased.

According to Thakur, the government workforce during the previous BJP administration had reached around 1.9 lakh, while the figure had now dropped to approximately 1.71 lakh. He argued that the decline raised questions over the government's claims of generating employment and said the BJP would continue to raise the issue in the Assembly under Rule 120.

The former Chief Minister said the Opposition's primary objective was to ensure that unemployed people in Himachal Pradesh received meaningful employment opportunities. He maintained that job creation should remain a priority for the state government, particularly for young people looking for stable careers. The BJP protest also targeted the government's decision to restart lottery operations in Himachal Pradesh. Thakur demanded that the move be withdrawn, arguing that the state should not promote another potentially addictive activity at a time when it is already dealing with concerns surrounding drug abuse.

He said the government should instead concentrate on strengthening the economy and generating sustainable employment. According to Thakur, while a lottery may provide financial gains to a limited number of people, it cannot serve as a reliable foundation for the state's economic development. Thakur also criticised the government's approach towards cannabis cultivation. He questioned the financial benefits of the policy and asked the government to explain how much revenue had actually been generated from the move.

He recalled that a committee had previously been formed to study cannabis cultivation and assess its possible implications. Thakur claimed that the committee had not recommended legalising cultivation in the manner subsequently pursued by the government. He said the government had yet to provide sufficient clarity on the expected economic gains or actual revenue generated. The BJP leader further attacked the Sukhu government over alleged delays in salaries and other dues owed to government employees and pensioners. He claimed that employees and retired workers had repeatedly staged protests across the state over pending payments.

Thakur questioned the government's handling of its finances, saying that while the administration had cited financial difficulties, employees continued to raise concerns over their outstanding dues. He alleged that the Chief Minister had not provided satisfactory answers on the issue. The Opposition leader also claimed that there was growing dissatisfaction among people over the functioning of the state government. He said unemployment, financial difficulties, employee payments and other issues would continue to be raised by the BJP during the Assembly session.

The employment issue is expected to remain a key point of debate during the ongoing Monsoon Session. The BJP has indicated that it will continue questioning the Congress government over its job promises while demanding measures aimed at creating stable employment opportunities for Himachal Pradesh's youth. With the Assembly session underway, the political confrontation between the BJP and Congress is likely to intensify over employment, the state's financial position, government employees' dues, lottery operations and the proposed cannabis cultivation policy.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.