Shimla:State Congress Committee in-charge and MP Rajeev Shukla has termed the BJP's election manifesto as a "jumla letter." He said that the BJP has reiterated the promises made in its 2017 election manifesto and copied and pasted the promises to the rest of the Congress in its manifesto. He asked the BJP leaders to first present the report card of their government, then look at the promises made to the public in 2017, and then talk further. He addressed a press conference here today.
Rajeev Shukla said that there is nothing in the BJP's election manifesto about the problems of the state employees. There is no mention of OPS, the bigger issue for employees. This is the demand of the employees here. Congress has given a guarantee to NPS employees in this regard. He said that Congress has talked about implementing OPS in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. He said that Congress implements what it says, and OPS is the biggest proof of that. He said that Congress has given a guarantee to provide employment to 5 lakh youth in Himachal, and this will also be fulfilled, and an interest-free loan will be given to the youth for self-employment by bringing in a startup worth Rs. 680 crore.
The Congress leader said that the BJP has copied the election manifesto of the Congress in its own manifesto. Aside from this, the promises made in 2017 have been twisted. He said that the BJP has talked about providing employment to 8 lakh youth, and this was also in the last manifesto. He said that now that this employment has been talked about in a phased manner, it is not clear how much time it will be given. He said that the BJP copied the startup plan of the Congress and put it in its manifesto. He said that the BJP is saying that 12 percent GST will be levied on the cartons of apples, while the Congress is saying that there will be no GST on the cartons and whatever is applicable will be removed.
Rajeev Shukla said that he has seen the full manifesto of the BJP and has found many points in the manifesto itself. He said that in the last manifesto, the construction of rural roads had been talked about, and this time the same thing has been repeated. Last time there was talk of Devbhoomi Darshan, so this time its name has been changed to the same scheme. Under the Chief Minister's Shagun Yojana, the Virbhadra Singh government gave 40 thousand rupees. In the BJP government, it was reduced to 31 thousand rupees, and now it has been announced to give 51 thousand rupees. He said that overall, this manifesto of the BJP is only misleading the people.
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Congress' victory in Himachal has national importance.
Rajiv Shukla said that the victory of the Congress party in Himachal has great significance at the national level. He said that this will create an atmosphere against the dictatorship of the central government across the country, and then the situation in the country will change. He said that this will also give strength to the opposition, and its unity will be further strengthened.
Ram temple being built by the Supreme Court's decision
Rajiv Shukla said that the Congress has always welcomed the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He said that Congress has never done politics in the name of religion. It is also said that the construction of the Ram temple is being done according to the decision of the Supreme Court and not at the behest of the central government. He said that BJP leaders are not talking about the performance of their government here in Himachal; they are trying to sway the people by talking here and there in the elections, but the people are not going to roam.
The word "Jumla" was given by the BJP.
Rajeev Shukla said that the Congress does what it says. He said that the BJP only does "jumlebaazi" and is still doing the same. He said that the word "Jumla" is also the gift of BJP leaders. He said that the first 15–15 lakh rupees would come into the account of every person and later said that it was a jumla. It is clear from this that the BJP does not fulfil what it promises; it is only making promises.
Overall public spending and inflation are not mentioned in the BJP's election manifesto.
Congress's national spokesperson, Alka Lamba, said that the "o" in OPS is not even mentioned in the BJP's election manifesto. At the same time, regarding inflation, she said that it is not mentioned in it either. She analysed the promises made in the BJP's election manifesto and said that many of the promises that were made in 2017 have been repeated. She said that in the manifesto, the BJP has insulted the farmers, and there is no talk on MSP either. She termed the manifesto a mere hoax. During this, Alka Lamba also showed a documentary about the OPS given by the Rajasthan government, in which women were saying that the Rajasthan government has restored the OPS and full pension has started coming into their accounts.