Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda has strongly objected to the BJP government’s decision to cut old-age pensions. Hooda said the BJP, intoxicated by power in its third term, is recklessly cutting ration cards and pensions of millions of poor people. In Ambala district alone, the BPL ration cards and pensions of around 54,000 families have been cut.
The former Chief Minister said according to Central government data, after the Haryana Assembly elections, more than 14 lakh ration cards have been cut, the highest in the country. Similarly, the pensions of thousands of elderly people have also been discontinued. Hooda said while elderly are repeatedly visiting government offices to get their pensions reinstated, the government arrogantly claims that no old-age pension has been cut. He termed this as adding insult to injury.
Hooda said that during the Congress government, the old-age pension was increased from ₹300 to ₹1,500, a five-fold (400%) increase. Meanwhile, the BJP government has increased it by only ₹1,200 (around 100%) in 11 years, while inflation has risen three to four times during the same period.
He added that during the Congress regime, there were no obstacles in the old-age pension system like the Family ID system introduced by the BJP to determine the income of elderly beneficiaries.
“The Congress party used to provide an old-age Samman Allowance by linking the old-age pension to the respect of the elderly, but now the Samman Allowance has been presented a favour that the government is bestowing on the elderly. The government has complete control over the Family ID. Therefore, the government can simply show an increase in anyone's income and cut their pension overnight,” he said.
Hooda alleged that the BJP government had wronged every section of society, from farmers to employees, poor labourers to housewives, Dalits and backward classes to upper castes, and from schoolchildren to the elderly. “Before the elections, this government issued ration cards to millions of people and secured their votes. After winning, it blindly started cutting ration cards and pensions even of poor families,” he said.
Hooda said the Congress will strongly raise this issue in the upcoming Budget session and will not allow the government to withdraw support for the elderly under any circumstances. “Old-age pension is a symbol of respect for the elderly in our society; it is not merely a source of income,” he said.
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