Shimla, February 11 Himachal Pradesh BJP chief Rajeev Bindal said on Wednesday that the Congress-led state government has completely failed in maintaining law and order, managing financial crises, and on the administrative front.
"Since the attainment of statehood in 1971, several governments have come and gone. But under this government, the state has for the first time witnessed complete failure on the law and order, financial, and administrative fronts, pushing it into debt and disorder," Bindal said, addressing a press conference here.
He said the government indulged in wasteful expenditure by appointing a large number of advisors, failed to fulfill election promises, check the activities of mafias, and brought development to a standstill.
"Incidents of murder, robbery, extortion, and organized crime have increased. Drug abuse has spread across the state, which is a matter of grave concern and reflects the failure of the government and law enforcement agencies," the BJP leader said.
He alleged that mining and forest mafias are operating with impunity in Kangra, Chamba, Mandi, and Solan districts, resulting in a loss of government revenue. Attacks by mafias on officials of the forest department have created an atmosphere of fear, he said.
On the financial front, Bindal said the government has adopted a "policy of excessive borrowing and unbridled spending." It has appointed 70 to 75 advisors, officials on special duty, and special appointees, who draw high salaries and avail facilities such as vehicles and residences, putting a burden of crores of rupees on the state exchequer, he claimed.
Referring to the appointment of chief parliamentary secretaries, which were later struck down by the high court, Bindal said they had already spent a substantial amount of public money, and now the matter is being aggressively contested by expensive legal representation, further increasing the financial burden.
Despite appointing about 100 additional, deputy, and assistant advocate generals and law officers, senior counsels with huge fees have been engaged in major cases, Bindal said, adding that the current government has earned the sobriquet "government of favorites" after its appointment of favorites as chairpersons and vice-chairpersons in boards and corporations increased radically.
Questioning the expenditure on publicity hoardings, image campaigns, large vehicle convoys, the purchase of new vehicles, and frequent helicopter use, Bindal alleged that there was no semblance of austerity despite claims of financial stress.
The government has miserably failed to fulfill its pre-election guarantees, including Rs 1,500 per month to women aged 18 to 59 years, 300 units of free electricity, and one lakh government jobs every year; there is no hope in the future, he said.
Alleging delays in the release of Dearness Allowance installments, pensions, retirement benefits, and social welfare schemes for the poor, Bindal claimed that the Central government has extended higher financial assistance to Himachal Pradesh compared to earlier periods, with increased tax devolution and major funding for roads, railways, health, education, and infrastructure through Centrally sponsored schemes.
He asked how many major development works were undertaken by the state government exclusively from its own resources.
The current financial distress is a direct fallout of financial mismanagement, but the state government is trying to shift the blame on the Centre to divert people's attention, Bindal alleged.
