Ministers Anirudh Singh and Vikramaditya Singh Denounce State BJP’s Claims Regarding Special Financial Package
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Shimla, October 13, 2023 – Today, the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Anirudh Singh, and PWD Minister, Vikramaditya Singh jointly issued a statement refuting claims made by State BJP leaders, including the Leader of Opposition. They asserted that the statements made by the BJP leaders regarding a special financial package for the state are misleading and devoid of truth.
The ministers pointed out that the BJP leaders, possibly sensing a decline in their popularity, were making false claims that the Union Government was providing compensation to the disaster-affected areas of the state. However, the reality is that the state has not received any additional support or special relief package yet. Out of the pending relief amount of Rs. 315 crore with the Union government, only Rs. 189 crore has been released. Additionally, under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), a total of Rs. 360 crore has been released so far. The Central Government disbursed the first installment of Rs 180 crore in June and an advance of the second installment of Rs 180 crore, originally due in December.
The ministers criticized the BJP leaders for what they perceived as playing politics with natural disasters to gain attention. They urged the BJP leaders to provide evidence of the assistance the central government has extended as part of a relief package for the state. They likened the BJP’s tactics to Joseph Goebbels, the chief propagandist for the Nazi Party, who famously said, “if a lie is told repeatedly, the people start believing it to be true.” The ministers accused the state BJP of spreading falsehoods and highlighted their reluctance to support the Chief Minister’s resolution for a special relief package during the recent Vidhan Sabha session.
The duo advised the BJP leaders to cease misleading the public and instead play a constructive role. They emphasized that the state government had repeatedly requested the Central Government to provide special assistance in the wake of the disaster but had only received assurances in return.
The ministers criticized the state BJP leaders for utilizing various media platforms to spread falsehoods rather than aiding in the disaster relief efforts. While every section of society is extending support to the state government during this crisis, the BJP leaders, in the ministers’ view, were more focused on political activities.
The ministers highlighted that the government’s efforts during the disaster were commended by NITI Aayog and the World Bank. They asserted that the state government was diligently working on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the disaster-affected communities, while the central government had not yet announced a special relief package of Rs. 4500 crore with enhanced compensation, as per amended Relief norms.
