Former CM slams govt over law and order, drug menace

Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today launched a scathing attack on the Congress government, alleging a complete breakdown of law and order in Himachal Pradesh, particularly in Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s home district of Hamirpur.

Addressing the ‘Mahila Samman Samaroh’ organised by MLA Ashish Sharma at Lambloo village, Thakur said two shocking murders in the district — one in which a son allegedly killed his mother in Bhoranj, and another where a minor attacked a woman with a sickle, leading to her death — exposed the grim reality in the state. He claimed that both incidents were linked to drug abuse, accusing the present government of allowing drug traffickers to flourish unchecked.

“The state has become unsafe under the Congress regime. Drug peddlers have penetrated deep into society and the government has failed to curb the menace,” he said.

Thakur also criticised the Sukhu government for allegedly shutting down public welfare initiatives started by the previous BJP administration. He said the BJP never made unreasonable guarantees. It had introduced meaningful welfare schemes such as Sahara Yojna for poor patients, Kanaya Daan Yojna for marriages of underprivileged girls and Him Care Yojna for those outside the ambit of Ayushman Bharat.

Later, Thakur visited the family of Ranjana Devi, who was allegedly murdered by a minor and assured them of BJP’s support.

MLA Ashish Sharma accused the government of halting development in Hamirpur and said growing dissatisfaction was evident as three district MLAs had switched to the BJP. “The countdown for the Congress government has begun,” he asserted.

MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal and former MLAs Anil Dhiman, Vijay Agnihotri and Rajinder Rana also attended the event.