Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 11 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Assembly Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur launched a scathing attack on the Sukhu government on Sunday. Thakur accused the government of having come to power under the promise of a “system overhaul ” and has now become a “government of charges,” continuously burdening the people of the state with various kinds of fees.
In a press release, Thakur criticised the government, stating, “This so-called pro-people government is now shocking farmers with inflated electricity bills.”
According to the statement, LoP Thakur claimed that the government in power is exploiting the farmers by making them pay five to six times the electricity bills.
Thakur claimed, “The government has increased the electricity bills for irrigation-related connections used by farmers by five to six times. This is outright exploitation of poor farmers. The steep hike in electricity charges for irrigation purposes is beyond public comprehension. Farmers are finding it hard to believe these increases, and many are making repeated rounds of electricity offices for clarification. This is a clear injustice to farmers. While Congress makes loud claims nationwide in the name of farmers, in Himachal, it has increased irrigation electricity bills fivefold.”
“Is the Chief Minister only a supporter of farmers in his lofty, hollow promises?” Thakur questioned. “Congress spreads lies about farmers’ welfare across the country, but where they are in power, they burden farmers by increasing the cost of electricity used for irrigation.”
LoP Thakur further claimed that he has received calls from numerous farmer families across the state, all expressing distress over the hiked electricity bills. People are sending their old and new bills to show how the amount has risen by over five times compared to the previous month.
He shared an example from Una, where a farmer used 605 units of electricity between March 1 and April 1 and was billed Rs 669, which included Rs 370 as a government-imposed cess. The same farmer used 591 units in May for irrigation, but received a bill of Rs 3,445, including Rs 356 as cess. This is not an isolated incident — many farmers are facing similarly steep increases in their bills.
“This is injustice towards the farmers of the state,” Thakur said. “The government cannot recover revenue in the name of system overhaul by burdening the people like this. Instead of providing relief to farmers, why is the government delivering shock after shock through electricity bills? This kind of price hike will break the backs of our farmers. The government must reconsider this decision and offer relief.”
Jairam Thakur criticised the government for not functioning as a “welfare state.” Stating, “The way the government is eagerly imposing taxes and charges on the people, if only it showed the same enthusiasm for ensuring public welfare, the situation would have been better. One day, they double the minimum bus fare from Rs 5 to Rs 10 citing change shortages; another day, they increase long-distance bus fares by more than 15%. They fire outsourced workers, suppress the voice of the unemployed, threaten government employees with lawsuits, and snatch away the medical benefits under Himcare. Welfare schemes like Shagun, Sahara, and Swavalamban are being shut down.”
Thakur further alleged, “The way the state government is treating farmers is wrong. The government should act with a humane perspective instead of a dictatorial one.” (ANI)
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