Jai Ram Thakur Targets Rahul Gandhi Over SIR

Accuses Congress of Spreading Misinformation; Demands Restoration of Free Diagnostic Tests

Mandi, November 3: Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA alliance of spreading misinformation about electoral processes and attempting to create political instability in the country.

Thakur was addressing the ‘Viksit Bharat Yuva Samvad – Know Your Vote’ programme organised at Sardar Patel University in Mandi. He alleged that Congress was attempting to influence public opinion through agitation and misinformation rather than engaging with democratic institutions.

Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Thakur said its objective was to ensure that no eligible voter was excluded and no ineligible name was included in the electoral list. He urged young people to understand the electoral process and counter what he described as misleading narratives surrounding voter-list revision.

Criticising the Congress rally held recently in Delhi, he claimed that participants were not adequately informed about SIR and were being misled. He also shared his personal experience of discrepancies in the electoral rolls during his first election, which he said had resulted in an error in his name in the nomination papers.

Emphasising the role of young people in nation-building, Thakur said the youth had a significant responsibility in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India. He maintained that national development required a strong, peaceful, stable and self-reliant country.

Expressing confidence in the younger generation’s support for the BJP’s political agenda, he said the youth across the country were backing Prime Minister Modi. He also asserted that Modi would continue as Prime Minister and return to power in 2029.

### Jai Ram Thakur Demands Immediate Restoration of Free Diagnostic Tests in Government Hospitals

In a separate statement, Thakur criticised the state government over the reported suspension of free diagnostic testing services in government hospitals across Himachal Pradesh.

He alleged that laboratories providing free tests had stopped functioning, forcing patients to seek diagnostic services from private facilities at their own expense.

Thakur said the disruption was causing difficulties for patients who depended on government hospitals for affordable healthcare. He questioned how patients could receive timely treatment without access to essential diagnostic investigations.

He also criticised the government’s handling of the Himcare health insurance scheme, alleging that healthcare facilities available to the public had been weakened under the present administration.

Demanding immediate intervention by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Thakur called for the restoration of free diagnostic testing services across government hospitals in the state to prevent further inconvenience to patients.