Cong govts neglected Char Dham: Nishank

DEHRADUN: Former cabinet minister and Member of Parliament from Haridwar Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Monday lashed out at the Congress by accusing it of “doing nothing for Char Dhams while it was in power and now making false promise to people before polls.”

Nishank made the attack while addressing a press conference in Dehradun.

Citing Congress campaign slogan of “Char Dham Char Kaam”, Nishank said, “When the Congress was in power, it did nothing for the highly revered Char Dham shrines. Now when the polls have come, it is making false promise to the people of state- Char Dham Char Kaam.”

He said, “Under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP-led state government did commendable work in the state. But the Congress and other Opposition parties couldn’t see them because they have deliberately shut down their eyes.”

The former Union minister said the double engine government of BJP carried significant in works for the infrastructure development of state and other sectors like health, education, tourism and employment.

“In the last five years, the government has worked a lot in the above-mentioned sectors. All of them have touched new heights. Speaking on the health sector, in 2017, ₹836 cr was spent on health facilities, which has now increased to over ₹3,000cr during BJP government.”

“Similarly, the government bought Atal Ayushman Yojana under which about 4 lakh people have received treatment of up to ₹5 lakh free of cost. After establishing AIIMS Rishikesh, the government has now also approved setting up of its satellite centre in Kumaon region. In this ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the government carried 100% vaccination of all the eligible people,” said Nishank.

Speaking on the relief measures taken by the government during the pandemic, he informed that the state government provided free ration to “15 lakh families for two years.”

He also attacked the Congress of “doing nothing for the jawans while in power.”

“It is now putting the mask of being jawans friendly before the public to garner votes for the upcoming elections. However, people know that it was the Congress which failed to implement the OROP for about 40 years which was implemented by Prime Minister Modi in 2014. On the other hand, Congress leaders, called Late former CDS Gen Bipin Rawat as a roadside rowdy. By claiming to think about army men’s welfare, it is just trying to fool the people.”