He alleged that the BJP was now attempting to push delimitation under the guise of the Women’s Reservation Bill, a move opposed by several Opposition parties. “The BJP, particularly in Himachal, is staging dharnas purely for political mileage,” he said.
Taking a dig at the party’s state unit, Sukhu pointed out that the BJP had failed to protest when Himachal Pradesh faced unprecedented devastation during the 2023 monsoon. He said the party neither pressed the Centre for liberal financial assistance nor followed up on the Rs 1,500 crore relief reportedly announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister also criticised the BJP over an FIR registered against AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, terming it an attempt to intimidate political opponents. “Neither the Congress nor the Opposition is afraid of such tactics. The entire party stands firmly with Kharge,” he asserted.
On the administrative front, Sukhu defended the shifting of the Gynaecology OPD to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, saying that the decision was taken in the larger interest of patients. He said the move would ensure access to advanced diagnostic facilities and robotic surgery, adding that equipment at Kamla Nehru Hospital had become outdated.
He maintained that separate mother-and-child hospitals are standard practice nationwide and ruled out any rollback of the decision, urging protesting doctors to reconsider their stance.
Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan echoed the Chief Minister’s views, accusing the BJP of hypocrisy and asserting that the Congress has consistently prioritised women’s representation.
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