Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday hit out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that people of Himachal Pradesh will bid farewell by saying"Jai Ram Ji Ki" to the Jairam Thakur government.
Earlier today, Congress released its manifesto for the Himachal Pradesh elections.
Speaking to ANI, Chhattisgarh CM Baghel said, "Himachal Pradesh is known for unemployment and inflation and people are fed up with these issues. The people of Himachal should get jobs, the old pension scheme should be implemented; the farmers should get the price of their products; women should also have money in their pockets."
"BJP has cheated people in the last five years. They have created a hole in people's pockets by increasing the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas. Under GST, paneer, lentils, and wheat have become expensive. Congress is taking this issue seriously that there is inflation, and unemployment in the country and how to fight it. That is why, congress has brought 10 guarantees in its manifesto so that farmers, youth, women, and labourers get employment and their income gets increased. In our today's manifesto, we have described it, Baghel added.
On Old Pension Scheme, Baghel said, "Rajasthan first announced OPS, and we passed it in Vidhan Sabha, Jharkhand has also done the same and slowly, it will be passed in all the states. It won't be spared as Old Pension Scheme is the only support for the old age of government officials."
In 2004, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister, the new pension scheme was implemented. Congress had implemented the Old Pension Scheme. That was the pension scheme itself. When they brought a new pension scheme, the earlier one became old. So, they did it in 2004 and now they are doing the work of lying too. It is very unfortunate, he said.
"According to the demand of the employees today, it will be applicable from 2004 and we will give all the facilities which were available earlier. We are giving this guarantee. How to get it is our job to see. We will implement it. We were stopped by the central government to pay the price of paddy at Rs 2,500 per quintal. This is a pension scheme, it is an agreement with a personal account holder. They will withdraw money, create a fund, and deposit it. Legal advice is also taken and it will also be applicable," he further added.
On being asked about BJP saying Congress is a party of 'Raja-Rani', Baghel said, "Do they not consider Scindia Ji a king? Who is Vasundhara Raje? Are they not 'Raja-Rani'? They are keeping all the kings and Queens in their party and then point fingers at us. So they say anything to give speeches, but when they say, they should see that when they point a finger at someone else, then the other three-point at them."
"The people are the most powerful in a democracy and the people have made up their minds, at this time, the power has to be handed over to Congress. The people of Himachal Pradesh have made up their minds and no matter how much they visit, it is not going to make any difference. The way Priyanka Gandhi's rally was done in Solan, Mandi and Kangra, the enthusiasm seen on thousands of people's faces is telling that a wave of change is underway, he told.
"The public will decide whether to keep Jai Ram Thakur or not. Everyone has made up their mind to bid farewell (Jai Ram Ji Ki) to Jairam Thakur," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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