The debate on Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) in the Himachal state assembly finally led to a boycott by the opposition BJP, which alleged that Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was quoting wrong figures in his reply.
Talking to mediapersons later, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the BJP was always for the state's interest. He said he wanted to correct the figures, but the Opposition was not allowed to speak during the CM’s reply, so BJP legislators went to the well of the House to protest. He said the CM was presenting figures that did not even match those earlier shared by the Finance Department—which is headed by the CM himself.
“We are for the state, but Congress is simply playing petty politics on the issue and has tried to create an atmosphere that the Central government is not doing anything for the state. The government’s attitude is not good and they did not present the state’s viewpoint properly before the 16th Finance Commission. The BJP will take up the issue on its own level, yet the responsibility of discontinuation of the RDG solely laid on the shoulders of the state government, which did not play its part effectively before allocation of funds,” Jai Ram Thakur said.
He said the discussion was held for three days and all BJP MLAs participated in it, and had not opposed the resolution. “But we will not support them in their political motives on the issue. They want us to support them, but they are not allowing us to clarify things. We are also elected representatives,” he said.
Thakur said Prime Minister Modi had always protected the interest of Himachal Pradesh and that his government has been generously assisting the state overall, as compared to the UPA government in the past. He said the people of Himachal know this and the state government cannot mislead them by presenting the RDG issue on political grounds.
He asked the CM to come out with his formula for making Himachal self-reliant by 2027 and the richest state in the country by 2032. “They are exposed now and it seems they were merely dependent on RDG for doing things in HP with no vision whatsoever to take the state further,” he said.
Thakur said the state needs central funds for development and progress and there were no two opinions about it. Yet, whatever was decided on the RDG front was for 17 states, not only Himachal. The former BJP CM said it had happened for the first time that the budget session of the state assembly was initially convened for three days, the Governor’s address was not discussed, and a resolution was brought directly on the RDG issue. “It is strange that they are now saying that the budget session would not restart from March 18. Maybe they want to wait for the Central Budget,” he said.
He also spoke to mediapersons after the adjournment of the House and said Himachal Pradesh was not being given its due, and that the BJP was not siding with the state’s interest on the RDG issue. The CM, his cabinet colleagues and some MLAs were later seen raising slogans against the BJP, calling it ‘Himachal Virodhi’.
Also read: Sukhu asks BJP to clarify stand on RDG
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