| News Details |
| Power Hike Betrayal: Altaf Thakur Slams Omar Govt | | Says Poor Made to Pay for NC’s Broken Promises |
Srinagar, August 29 (Scoop News)-BJP Jammu and Kashmir spokesperson Altaf Thakur on Saturday lashed out at the Omar Abdullah-led government over the 6.83 per cent hike in electricity tariffs, calling the move “anti-poor, unjustified and a betrayal of the promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir”.
Addressing a press conference here, Thakur said the tariff increase would place an additional burden on ordinary households, small traders, farmers and economically weaker sections at a time when families were already struggling to manage household expenses.
“The people of J&K were promised relief, but instead they have been presented with a power tariff hike. Where are the promises of 200 units of free electricity, 12 free gas cylinders and other welfare guarantees?” Thakur asked.
He said the government should have prioritised providing affordable and reliable power to the people rather than increasing their financial burden. According to him, electricity is an essential service and any increase in tariffs directly affects household budgets, particularly those of poor and middle-class families.
Thakur said the National Conference had sought votes by making “tall promises” to the people, but was now allegedly shifting the burden onto the same people who had supported it.
“The poor cannot be asked to pay more every time the government fails to manage its finances. A pro-poor government should reduce the burden on households, not increase it,” he said.
Taking a dig at NC MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, Thakur said the MP should refrain from comparing the BJP and the National Conference, claiming that the two parties had fundamentally different political approaches.
“Aga Ruhullah should not compare the BJP with the NC. The BJP has consistently stood for development, peace, national integration and empowerment of ordinary citizens, while the NC has a long political history of what we consider appeasement and separatist-oriented politics,” Thakur said.
He alleged that the NC had repeatedly used “emotive and divisive politics” to retain its political constituency, while the BJP was focused on development, infrastructure, employment and welfare delivery.
Thakur also questioned the government over its earlier election commitments, including the promise of 200 units of free electricity, 12 gas cylinders and one lakh jobs. He asked the administration to explain how the tariff hike was compatible with those assurances.
“If the government can increase the electricity tariff by 6.83 per cent, it must also explain when and how it intends to fulfil its promises to provide relief to the people,” he said.
The BJP spokesperson said the government should reconsider the tariff hike and provide relief to economically weaker households.
He maintained that the BJP would continue to raise issues concerning the common man and oppose policies that, according to him, put an additional financial burden on poor and middle-class families.
“People voted for relief, development and employment. They should not be made to pay for broken promises,” Thakur said.
... |
| |
|
|
Share this Story |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|