Jairam Thakur Accuses Congress of Misusing Disaster Relief for Personal Gains

Shimla, July 31: Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur alleged that Congress leaders in Himachal Pradesh are exploiting the ongoing disaster situation for personal benefits. Thakur claimed that while donors are providing JCB and L\&T machines and locals are pooling in funds for fuel to clear blocked roads, some Congress leaders are pressuring officials to bill the cleared roads under their names. He described this as a shameful misuse of relief efforts. Thakur also criticized the government for its failure to respond swiftly in severely affected areas like Deji village, where 11 people died, and for its inefficiency in restoring access for farmers and horticulturists, leading to heavy crop losses. He further slammed the state cabinet’s four-day-long meetings, stating that they only resulted in closures of institutions and no concrete employment policy.