Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur launched a scathing attack on the Congress government, alleging that the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led administration has, over the past three and a half years, replaced governance with a culture of political vendetta, abuse of power and administrative intimidation.
Talking to mediapersons here, he said Himachal Pradesh, known as Dev Bhoomi for its peaceful traditions and democratic values, was now witnessing an unprecedented misuse of state machinery to target political opponents.
Thakur said that instead of focusing on development, employment and public welfare, the Congress government had focused on shutting down public institutions, halting development works and intimidating those who question its functioning.
He said public resentment against the government had grown and the BJP had received overwhelming support in Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Body elections. He said that was why the government had intensified its campaign of targeting BJP leaders and elected representatives through criminal cases and administrative action.
Thakur alleged that senior BJP leaders, including State BJP President Dr Rajeev Bindal, MLAs Sudhir Sharma, Hoshiar Singh and Ashish Sharma, former minister Sukhram Chaudhary, and several other BJP functionaries, had been subjected to FIRs, investigations or administrative harassment.
He said even leaders who left the Congress and joined the BJP, along with their family members and associates, were being targeted as part of a politically motivated campaign.
The Leader of Opposition alleged that BJP Zila Parishad members, Panchayat Pradhans, Municipal Councillors and other elected representatives who secured victories in recent local body elections were also being served notices and subjected to unnecessary inquiries merely because they defeated Congress candidates.
The former CM said the government's priorities had become completely distorted. "While incidents relating to law and order, crime and crimes against women demand urgent attention, the state machinery is allegedly being used to prepare cases against political opponents instead of addressing the concerns of ordinary citizens," he said.
Referring to the recent controversy involving the Harmony of Pines orchestra of the Himachal Pradesh Police, he said that serious allegations raised by women police personnel deserve a fair and impartial investigation. He questioned why prompt action had not been taken despite complaints, stating that such incidents raise serious concerns about the government's commitment to protecting women employees.
The Leader of Opposition also expressed concern over allegations of phone tapping and surveillance, stating that if elected representatives or opposition leaders were being unlawfully monitored, it would amount to a grave assault on democratic freedoms. He demanded that any such allegations be independently investigated.
Thakur further claimed that there was widespread dissatisfaction within the Congress over the functioning of the present government. He said the Chief Minister should focus on governance and address people's issues instead of indulging in political rhetoric and targeting opponents.
Thakur announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party was compiling a comprehensive chargesheet documenting alleged corruption, financial mismanagement, abuse of administrative machinery, anti-people decisions and misuse of power by the Congress government. "The document, supported by evidence, will be placed before the people of Himachal Pradesh through a statewide public campaign," he said.
He urged government officials to discharge their duties impartially and not succumb to political pressure, reminding them that the administration is accountable to the Constitution and the rule of law, not to any political party.
Thakur said that democracy cannot be sustained by intimidating the Opposition, registering politically motivated cases or misusing state institutions. He asserted that the BJP would continue to raise these issues through democratic means and expressed confidence that the people of Himachal Pradesh would give a decisive verdict against the Congress government in the 2027 Assembly elections.
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