Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said that an all-party meeting was convened to discuss the proposed withdrawal of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG), as it was a matter of serious concern for the state and could adversely affect its economy. He criticised the BJP for walking out of the meeting midway, terming the move highly condemnable.
He said it reflected a lack of seriousness on their part and alleged that they had attended only to politicise the issue rather than safeguard the interests of the people of the state. The Chief Minister said that not only the Congress, but also the CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party had expressed willingness to meet the Prime Minister to press for the reinstatement of the RDG. “It appeared the BJP was not willing to stand for the rights of the state and had attended the meeting only under public pressure before leaving it midway,” he said.
Sukhu stated that the previous BJP government had received Rs 54,000 crore as Revenue Deficit Grant and Rs 16,000 crore as GST compensation during its tenure, whereas the present state government has so far received only Rs 17,000 crore as RDG. He, however, asserted that through due diligence and fiscal prudence, the present government is steadily moving towards making the state self-reliant.
The Chief Minister said that RDG is a constitutional right of the states under Article 275(1), aimed at bridging the gap between revenue and expenditure — a mechanism that has been in place since 1952. He further remarked that the state government is well aware of how to fight for its rights but alleged that the BJP’s stance was not in the interest of the state.
“This issue is not about any particular government, but about safeguarding the rights of the people of the state,” he said, adding that BJP leaders appeared to be in a dilemma and had failed to clearly present their stand on the issue of RDG before the people. Sukhu said the BJP leaders might feel that the withdrawal of the Revenue Deficit Grant was not the right step, but they lack the courage to take a firm stand.
He alleged that the BJP has never stood with the people of the state. Referring to the disaster of 2023, he said, “When we brought a resolution seeking a special package from the Union Government to assist disaster-affected families, they were the first to walk out. The people of the state are observing the anti-Himachal attitude of the BJP and will not forgive them.”
The Chief Minister added that governments may come and go, but safeguarding the rights of the people must remain paramount. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and National Spokesperson of the Congress Party Kuldeep Singh Rathore also criticised the BJP for walking out of the all-party meeting midway.
During the meeting, the CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party extended their unconditional support to the state government on the issue.
Former MLA Rakesh Singha said everyone must understand the hardships being faced by the people of the state and emphasised the need to arrive at a consensus to effectively safeguard their interests.
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