Shimla, March 7 — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president and Union minister Jagat Prakash Nadda accused the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in Himachal Pradesh of diverting central funds meant for infrastructure projects.
Addressing a public gathering in Bilaspur, Nadda claimed that funds allocated for housing and road construction were instead used to pay salaries and pensions. “This is what happens if power goes into the wrong hands,” he said.
Criticizing the Congress leadership, Nadda questioned their absence during natural disasters in Himachal Pradesh. “When disaster hit, did any big Congress leader visit? Those who call Himachal their home come here for vacations but were missing during the crisis,” he said.
The Himachal Pradesh government has repeatedly accused the Narendra Modi-led central government of neglecting the state’s needs. Officials claim the Centre failed to release ₹9,042 crore under the Post-Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) and provided no significant relief for disaster recovery efforts.
Nadda also targeted the state’s handling of welfare schemes, stating that Himachal Pradesh owes ₹355 crore under Ayushman Bharat and is struggling to sustain programs like HimCare. “Congress can only write the story of destruction, while BJP always writes the story of development,” he said.
Taking a swipe at the Congress high command, he said, “The party is going through mental bankruptcy. It has become a party of brother, sister, and mother, not of workers. It has no principles or vision.”
Referring to his tenure as Union health minister, Nadda said, “I can fix eyes, but I cannot give vision. If Congress cannot see anything, how is that our fault?” He defended the BJP government’s record, countering Congress claims of rising unemployment.
Responding to Nadda’s remarks, Chief Minister’s principal advisor (media) Naresh Chauhan dismissed the allegations and challenged BJP leaders to disclose the exact funds provided to the disaster-hit state.
“Since day one, we have been asking BJP to share details of the funds released for Himachal. Nadda, who hails from the state, should focus on ensuring Himachal gets its due instead of playing politics,” he said.
