PM Narendra Modi transformed power into a means of public service during 25 years of dedicated governance; BJP to observe Seva Sankalp Abhiyan across Himachal from September 17 to October 17: Dr. Rajeev Bindal
‘Diyas of Blessings’ to be lit in 80,000 homes across 8,000 polling booths; 25 forms of service activities, blood donation camps and Seva Jyoti Yatra to be organised across Himachal: Bindal
Congress Government has pushed Himachal’s education system into crisis; thousands of single-teacher schools and schools without teachers expose reality of its so-called ‘Vyavastha Parivartan’: Bindal
School charges increased while free uniform and transport benefits curtailed; lack of teachers, buildings and basic facilities putting future of children at risk: Bindal
Congress Government’s claim of making Himachal self-reliant by 2032 is hollow; CAG findings raise serious questions over financial mismanagement and rising debt: Bindal
Shimla: Bharatiya Janata Party State President Dr. Rajeev Bindal said that on the completion of 25 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s governance dedicated to service and public welfare, the BJP will organise a nationwide “Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.” In Himachal Pradesh, the month-long campaign will begin on Prime Minister Modi’s birthday on September 17 and continue until October 17, reaching right down to the polling-booth level.
Dr. Bindal said Narendra Modi is a leader who has transformed political power into a medium of public service. As Chief Minister of Gujarat and subsequently as Prime Minister of India, Modi has placed the welfare of the poor, farmers, youth, women and ordinary citizens at the centre of governance.
He said the transformation witnessed during this period can be seen through initiatives providing pucca houses to poor families, toilets, tap-water connections, health protection under Ayushman Bharat, direct financial assistance to farmers through PM-KISAN and free ration to crores of poor citizens.
Dr. Bindal said there was a clear distinction between the Congress-led government from 2004 to 2014 and the Narendra Modi-led government since 2014. While the Congress era became associated with scams and middlemen, the Modi Government strengthened transparency through Digital India and Direct Benefit Transfer, enabling benefits to reach beneficiaries directly.
He said India has today emerged as one of the world’s leading economic powers and continues to move forward strongly despite wars, geopolitical uncertainty and economic pressures across the world.
80,000 homes to light ‘Diyas of Blessings’
Dr. Bindal said that on September 17 at 7 PM, the BJP has set a target of lighting diyas in 80,000 households across nearly 8,000 polling booths in Himachal Pradesh. At least 100 families at each booth will light a “Diya of Blessings” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and take a pledge to contribute towards making India a developed nation by 2047.
BJP workers will personally visit households, interact with families and discuss the transformation witnessed under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership as well as the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
He said that from September 17 to 20, blood donation camps will be organised throughout Himachal Pradesh under the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. The party will endeavour to utilise the maximum available capacity of blood banks across the State.
Painting competitions and debates on the vision of Viksit Bharat will also be organised for schoolchildren, while Anganwadi workers will be honoured for their contribution to society.
Dr. Bindal said that BJP units at the Mandal, Gram Kendra and polling-booth levels will undertake different service activities. Symbolising 25 years of service and dedication, 25 different forms of public service activities will be undertaken, including campaigns against drug abuse, cleanliness drives, educational assistance to children, medical service, support for orphanages and underprivileged people and service to persons with disabilities.
In the concluding phase, a “Seva Jyoti Yatra” will be organised under the leadership of the BJYM. Youth carrying torches from different areas will converge at district headquarters with the pledge of building a developed India by 2047.
Modi Government transformed the scale of infrastructure development in Himachal
Dr. Bindal said Himachal Pradesh has witnessed unprecedented infrastructure development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Massive bridges, highways and tunnels are being constructed across difficult mountainous terrain, reducing distances and improving connectivity.
From the Atal Tunnel Rohtang to new tunnels, highways and major bridges being constructed across the State, Himachal is witnessing development on a scale that was once difficult to imagine.
He said projects that Congress governments could not even envision are being implemented under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. The Central Government has extended wholehearted support to Himachal Pradesh, and the BJP will take the story of this transformation to every household.
CAG findings puncture Congress Government’s claims of a ‘self-reliant Himachal’
Launching a strong attack on the Congress Government, Dr. Bindal said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu repeatedly talks about making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant and prosperous by 2032, but recent CAG findings have raised serious questions over the State Government’s financial management.
He said the Congress Government must explain how Himachal can become self-reliant when the State is struggling with increasing debt, financial mismanagement and inadequate development expenditure.
“Is this the road on which the Congress Government proposes to take Himachal towards self-reliance by 2032? Merely making announcements cannot make a State self-reliant. It requires fiscal discipline, sound financial management and a clear development policy,” he said.
Dr. Bindal said the recent Assembly session had also exposed several layers of the Government’s claims and brought the deteriorating condition of vital public services before the people.
Congress has pushed the education system into crisis
Dr. Bindal launched a sharp attack on the State Government over the condition of government schools and said thousands of schools are struggling with single-teacher arrangements, while several schools do not have teachers at all.
“In many places, one teacher is expected to teach students of five different classes. These are the children on whose shoulders the future of Himachal rests, yet the Congress Government is failing to provide them even the most basic educational infrastructure,” he said.
Dr. Bindal said the Congress Government has already shut a large number of educational institutions, but has failed to provide adequate teachers, buildings and essential facilities even in the schools that continue to operate.
He said children belonging to poor and ordinary families were bearing the maximum impact of these policies.
Fees increased while benefits for government-school students curtailed
Dr. Bindal said the Congress Government has curtailed several benefits previously available to government-school students. Transport benefits have been affected, free uniforms have been discontinued, while various charges imposed on students have increased.
He pointed out that the registration fee for Classes IX and XI has been increased from ₹50 to ₹200, representing a 300 per cent increase. The late fee has similarly been increased from ₹100 to ₹500, an increase of 400 per cent.
He said the Government was creating circumstances that were making government education increasingly difficult for economically weaker families.
“If there are inadequate teachers, no proper school building, inadequate toilets and drinking-water facilities, increased transportation costs, higher fees and no free uniform, how can the Government claim that it is strengthening public education?” Dr. Bindal asked.
He alleged that instead of strengthening government schools, the policies of the Congress Government were pushing children away from them and creating the conditions for more schools to be closed in the future.
Children cannot be made subjects of experiments
Dr. Bindal also criticised the manner in which CBSE affiliation and English-medium education were being introduced in government schools.
He said such major changes should have been preceded by proper preparation, teacher training, adequate infrastructure and academic planning.
“Children's education is not a laboratory for experiments. Teachers should first be properly trained, adequate resources should be made available and only thereafter should major changes be implemented. Taking decisions without adequate preparation puts the future of innocent students at risk,” he said.
BJP to hold protests at nearly 200 locations every month
Responding to questions regarding the BJP’s agitation against the State Government, Dr. Bindal said it was incorrect to suggest that the party was not taking public issues to the streets.
He said the BJP had organised protests at 171 locations during July, with hundreds of local residents participating on issues directly affecting their areas.
The protests were organised over damaged roads, closure of schools and Primary Health Centres, shortage of doctors in hospitals and non-availability of essential diagnostic services such as CT scans, ultrasounds and other investigations.
Dr. Bindal said the BJP has now decided to organise protests at nearly 200 locations every month, covering all 171 Mandals as well as other important locations across the State.
“The Congress Government cannot continue to ignore the voice of the people. The BJP will continue to raise public issues from the Assembly to the streets and will firmly expose the Congress Government’s anti-people policies, financial mismanagement and the deteriorating condition of education and healthcare across Himachal Pradesh,” Dr. Bindal said.
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