Shimla, Feb 13 – The BJP delegation walked out of a meeting called in Himachal Pradesh to discuss the discontinuation of Revenue Deficit Grants and its impact on the state's economy, claiming that the Congress government was pursuing a political agenda and blaming the Centre.
Revenue Deficit Grants (RDG) are funds released by the Union government as per the Finance Commission's recommendations, to bridge the revenue gap in states' accounts after devolution.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu criticized the BJP for leaving the meeting, saying it reflected a lack of seriousness. He said they attended the meeting only to politicize the issue, rather than protect the interests of the state's people.
In a statement, the BJP said its delegation objected to the inappropriate and disrespectful language used by some speakers against the Central government and the prime minister.
While political differences are natural in a democracy, the BJP said, dignity of language and respect for institutions must be maintained.
The party said it is ready for constructive discussions in the larger interest of the state, but one-sided blame games, distorted presentations, and politically motivated narratives cannot substitute responsible governance and financial management.
The BJP said it will continue to raise public interest issues firmly and factually.
Both the BJP and Congress leaders addressed the media here.
Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said, "If the RDG was stopped for only one state, we would have taken a different view. But it has been discontinued for 17 states. The Congress-led state government is pursuing its political agenda and blaming the Centre, which is not right."
He said the discontinuation of RDG was not a sudden decision but part of the structured recommendations of previous Finance Commissions, where it was clearly indicated that such grants would be reduced in phases and eventually discontinued.
The state government should have prepared in advance by strengthening revenue generation, controlling non-essential expenditure, and improving fiscal discipline instead of creating panic now, Thakur said.
State BJP president Rajeev Bindal said the development of Himachal Pradesh is a shared responsibility of all political parties and the BJP has always worked in the state's interest, both in government and in opposition.
He said the Congress government, despite being in power for nearly 40 months with a full majority, is attempting to shift the blame for its financial mismanagement onto the Central government and the BJP as part of a planned political narrative.
Bindal said Himachal Pradesh has received substantial Central assistance over the last three years. Around Rs 50,000 crore was received in 2022-23; Rs 43,000 crore in 2023-24, and around Rs 35,000 crore in 2024-26 under various components including tax devolution, Centrally sponsored schemes, PMGSY, NABARD support, externally aided projects and infrastructure funding, he said.
The state BJP chief said national highway works worth Rs 44,000 crore are currently under execution in the state, which is many times higher than the comparable earlier periods. Tax devolution to the state has increased and is projected to rise further in the coming years, supported by higher GST collections and Central tax sharing formulas.
Ignoring these facts and accusing the Centre of discrimination is misleading, he added.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said not only the Congress, but also the CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have expressed willingness to meet the prime minister to press for reinstatement of the RDG.
"It appeared that the BJP is not willing to stand for the state's rights. They attended the meeting only under public pressure and left it midway," he alleged.
Sukhu said the previous BJP government had received Rs 54,000 crore as RDG and Rs 16,000 crore as GST compensation during its tenure, whereas the current government has received only Rs 17,000 crore as RDG so far.
The RDG, he said, is a constitutional right of the states under Article 275(1), aimed at bridging the gap between their revenue and expenditure, a mechanism that has been in place since 1952.
The state government was well aware of how to fight for its rights, Sukhu said, adding that the BJP's stance was not in the state's interest.
"This issue was not about any particular government, but about safeguarding the rights of the state's people," he said.
Sukhu said the BJP leaders appeared to be in a dilemma and failed to clearly present their stand on the issue.
"Although they may feel that the withdrawal of RDG is not a right step, they lack the courage to take a firm stand. Governments may come and go, but safeguarding people's rights must remain paramount," the chief minister added.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and Congress national spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Rathore also criticised the BJP for walking out of the all party meeting.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M), AAP and BSP extended their unconditional support to the state government on the RDG issue, according to an official statement.
Leaders of these parties were of the view that everyone must understand the hardships being faced by the state's people, and that there is a need to arrive at a consensus to effectively safeguard their interests and collectively raise voice for their rights.
They also stressed the need for adequate financial assistance from the Centre, the statement said.