Jairam Thakur Slams Sukhu Government’s Protest as Political Drama

Shimla | January 30, 2026: Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur strongly criticised the Sukhu government, calling its hunger strike against the Viksit Bharat Gramin Aajeevika Guarantee scheme a “political stunt” aimed at pleasing the party high command rather than protecting public interest.

Thakur said the new central legislation is a landmark step towards transparency and eliminating corruption, with digital systems and biometric attendance ensuring accountability and faster rural development.

Accusing Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of double standards, Thakur pointed out that while the government speaks about empowering panchayats, it has stalled local body elections and handed over villages to administrators, bringing development works to a standstill. He questioned how employment schemes could function under such conditions.

The Leader of Opposition also raised concerns over the government’s performance, claiming that hundreds of panchayats have not received even a single day of employment under existing schemes in recent months. He highlighted that the Modi government has significantly increased the rural employment budget and expanded workdays compared to previous regimes.

Thakur further alleged misuse of administrative machinery to mobilise crowds for the protest, stating that buses and officials were deployed to ensure attendance, but public participation remained weak due to growing dissatisfaction with the government’s policies.

He concluded that the people of Himachal Pradesh are increasingly rejecting what he termed the Congress government’s anti-development agenda and unfulfilled promises.