Jammu Mirror
Dy CM Surinder Choudhary Hits Out at Centre Over Inflation and Power Rates, Challenges BJP to Publish 12-Year Track Record
Jammu: Mounting a fierce counter-attack against the opposition, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary targeted the BJP-led Central dispensation on Thursday, demanding accountability over soaring electricity rates and escalating prices of kitchen essentials such as pulses, sugar, and vegetables.
Responding to recent criticisms from the Bharatiya Janata Party regarding power tariff adjustments under the Omar Abdullah-led administration, Choudhary challenged the saffron party to present a comprehensive transparent balance sheet of its tariff hikes and policy track record over the past twelve years.
Major Statements
- Challenge on Past Record: Demanded BJP publish figures detailing tariff increases and bill inflation over the last 12 years.
- Relief Comparison: Highlighted multiple power amnesty schemes launched and extended by the NC government versus the previous PDP-BJP alliance.
- Focus on Inflation: Emphasized that working-class households are severely impacted by steep prices of daily provisions and escalating education costs.
“They should place the facts of the past 12 years in the public domain—how sharply power tariffs jumped under the BJP, how heavily electric bills inflated, and how many genuine amnesty opportunities were granted to the common masses,” Choudhary told reporters.
The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted the current administration’s proactive relief initiatives, emphasizing that multiple electricity bill amnesty programs have been provided for domestic as well as commercial consumers since taking charge, including recent extensions to ease consumer financial stress.
Drawing a comparison, Choudhary asked the opposition to evaluate the volume of relief packages delivered during their joint tenure in the former PDP-BJP dispensation against the extensive bill waivers introduced by the NC administration.
Widening the scope of his critique, Choudhary stated that the general public is burdened by daily kitchen costs and inflation. He pointed out that essential items like sugar—costing around Rs 70 to Rs 75 per kilogram—along with pulses, onions, and greens, must be brought into public debate.
“A poor citizen may not delve into tariff percentages, but they feel the direct pinch every morning when purchasing sugar for tea, or budgeting for onions and pulses,” the Deputy Chief Minister noted.
Directing questions at the Leader of Opposition, Sunil Sharma, Choudhary urged opposition leaders to address core everyday struggles, including steep increases in private educational institution fees, asserting that mainstream political dialogue must prioritize the welfare of ordinary citizens over elite concerns.
