Agriculture Minister Prof Chander Kumar on Saturday dismissed the allegations made by his son, former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Neeraj Bharti, regarding the functioning of the Congress party.
He said while the party upholds and respects freedom of expression, the comments made by Neeraj Bharti neither reflect the official stance of the Congress party nor are they justified. He added that the party remains committed to its principles and organisational discipline. Chander Kumar said both the party and the government function within a framework of discipline and collective responsibility.
"If Bharti had any concerns regarding the party's functioning, he should have raised them through the appropriate organisational channels and before the party leadership. Having himself served as a public representative and vice-president of the state unit of the party, Bharti was expected to act with greater responsibility and restraint," he said.
He said engaging in public accusations and counter-accusations had not only damaged the image of the party but had also diminished Bharti's own political stature. Raising such issues on social media platforms is neither constructive nor appropriate, he added.
He said the Congress party has always been guided by its values and principles and that the present state government remains committed to translating its promises into action. He added that significant efforts are being made to strengthen the rural economy by empowering farmers and improving their livelihoods.
The minister highlighted a number of farmer-friendly initiatives undertaken by the government, including the decision to establish a Kisan Aayog. These measures, he said, are aimed at ensuring direct benefits to the farming community and addressing their long-term concerns.
He said that the government has implemented several landmark welfare initiatives, including the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana, and the Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgar Start-up Yojana, with the objective of improving the quality of life of people across all sections of society.
In the field of education, English-medium instruction has been introduced from Class 1 in all government schools. Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding Schools are being established in a phased manner across every Assembly constituency, while 156 CBSE-affiliated schools have also been opened to improve educational standards.
Chander Kumar said that the government has also taken significant steps to strengthen healthcare services. For the first time in the state, advanced medical facilities such as robotic surgery, PET scans, 3-Tesla MRI machines and modern CT scan services have been introduced, enabling people to access quality and affordable treatment within Himachal Pradesh.
He also highlighted the government's decision to provide 300 units of free electricity per month to extremely poor families under the 'Apna Parivar-Sukhi Parivar' scheme, which is expected to benefit nearly one lakh families.
The minister said that the state government's welfare-oriented policies and development initiatives are bringing meaningful change across Himachal Pradesh. The positive impact of these measures is increasingly visible on the ground, and the people of the state continue to place their trust in the government's vision and leadership.
Also read: Fresh trouble for Congress as former CPS quits party post
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