Himachal BJP state president slams Sukhu Govt over lottery policy & school closures, alleges political vendetta

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 1 (ANI): In a sharp attack on the ruling Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Rajeev Bindal has accused the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led administration of misleading the public, particularly the unemployed youth, by restarting the State-run lottery system and allegedly failing to fulfil pre-election job guarantees.
Addressing a press conference in Shimla on Friday Bindal alleged that the Cabinet's decision to reintroduce the lottery system is a "mockery of the unemployed," claiming that instead of generating employment opportunities, the government is pushing youth towards "gambling and false hope."
"The Sukhu government promised one lakh government jobs in its very first Cabinet meeting. Now, three years later, they have launched a lottery system and are asking the youth to buy tickets to change their fate. This is not governance, it's exploitation," said Bindal. He said that starting a Lottery system is anti-people in the state.
Bindal questioned the government's rationale behind reviving the lottery, which was previously banned in 2000 by the BJP-led government under Prem Kumar Dhumal, restarted by the Congress in 2004, and again banned in 2007. Now, in 2025, Congress has once again decided to reintroduce it.
"While the world is moving forward, the Himachal government is pushing its youth backwards toward lottery counters. This policy is nothing but a money-making racket under the garb of state-run gambling," he said.
On the allegations of school and institutional closures, he said that the state government is shutting everything instead of doing development in the state.
Bindal also targeted the Congress government's decision to shut down nearly 2,000 educational and health institutions, including schools, patwar circles, sub-tehsils, and BDO offices.
"In Sirmaur district, a school was shut down where students now have to cross three streams and walk 5 km to the nearest school. This is the reality behind the Congress's claim of 100% school enrolment," he said.
The BJP leader said that over 1.5 lakh sanctioned posts in government departments were removed and that no new appointments were made in the past three years, while thousands of employees had retired.
Further, the BJP leader condemned the government's handling of the recent natural disaster in Mandi district, alleging political vendetta against local residents protesting inadequate relief.
"Instead of providing aid, this government has registered false FIRs against 72 disaster-hit individuals. Some are in jail while others are forced to report to police stations despite losing their homes," Bindal said.
"Even in areas where bodies are still buried under debris, the government is busy shifting colleges rather than offering help," he added.
Bindal also raised serious concerns over the proliferation of liquor shops on PWD and National Highway land, calling it a violation of norms. He accused the government of promoting alcohol and drug culture instead of controlling it.
"You will see flashy liquor outlets everywhere. But if a poor vendor tries to sell fried snacks, he is fined and chased away. This is hypocrisy and selective enforcement," he said.
Bindal thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and other Union ministers for consistently supporting Himachal Pradesh in disaster recovery. He highlighted the recent World Bank-backed Disaster Recovery and Resilience Project, which has approved ₹2,388 crore, of which ₹2,150 crore will be provided under central guarantee.
He pointed out that a total of ₹7,513 crore has been sanctioned by the Centre over recent years, including previous disaster aid, housing under MGNREGA, and infrastructure assistance.
"The Centre has stood by the people of Himachal. But the state government, despite its big announcements, has only spent about ₹150 crore in three years from its own budget. Where has the rest of the promised aid gone?" asked Bindal.
The BJP chief announced that the party will hold a major protest in Mandi on August 6, demanding the Immediate withdrawal of the lottery system, reopening of closed schools and institutions, cancellation of all FIRs against disaster victims and protestors, and transparency in disaster relief disbursal.
"The public is seething with anger. The government's suppression and vindictive actions will not go unnoticed. The Congress has ignited a fire it cannot extinguish," he warned.
Bindal further assured that if the BJP comes back to power in Himachal Pradesh, all closed educational and administrative institutions will be reopened, reaffirming the party's stance to uphold public welfare.
"Those institutions were opened by our government, keeping public interest in mind. We will reopen them and reverse the damage done by this Congress-led regime," he added. (ANI)