Jairam Thakur Slams Government Over OPD Fee
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Seeks Clarity on Vimal Negi Death Probe
Shimla, April 8, 2025:
Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has strongly criticized the state government over its recent decision to impose a ₹10 fee for issuing OPD slips in government hospitals. Calling the justification “ridiculous,” Thakur said, “First, the government raised bus fares citing a lack of change, and now they are charging patients for losing their OPD slips. How long will the government continue to cover up its failures with such bizarre reasoning?”
He further alleged that the government is planning to limit free diagnostic tests to just once a year per patient and might exclude OPD patients entirely from free healthcare benefits. “In the name of health reforms, the government is misleading the public daily,” he said.
Addressing the ongoing controversy around the suspicious death of HPPC General Manager Vimal Negi, Thakur questioned the integrity of the police probe. “Why wasn’t the main accused interrogated? On whose instructions did he avoid questioning? Even during his Supreme Court bail plea, the state did not send a legal representative to oppose it,” he claimed. Thakur demanded that the Chief Minister clarify why a CBI probe is being avoided and said the people of Himachal Pradesh deserve to know the truth.
Attends Ambedkar Samman in Delhi
Jai Ram Thakur also attended the ‘Ambedkar Samman Samaroh’ organized at BJP’s national headquarters in Delhi. Speaking at the event, he said Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s contribution to India’s Constitution is unforgettable. “Congress never gave Baba Saheb the respect he truly deserved and instead promoted dynastic politics. It was only under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi that memorials honoring him were realized,” he said.
