Congress Slams PM Modi for Ignoring Himachal Pradesh During Disasters and Failing on Apple Import Duties

Congress Slams PM Modi for Ignoring Himachal Pradesh During Disasters and Failing on Apple Import Duties

Congress leaders have criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for neglecting Himachal Pradesh during times of disaster and failing to fulfill promises made to the state’s apple farmers. Industries Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi stated that Modi only remembers Himachal Pradesh during election seasons to seek votes, but lacks genuine emotional connection with the state and its people.

Chauhan and Negi highlighted that during the recent catastrophic rains in Himachal Pradesh, which resulted in over 550 deaths and affected more than 22,000 families, Prime Minister Modi neither visited the state nor expressed condolences to the families of the deceased. They noted that Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu made multiple trips to Delhi to meet with the Prime Minister and central leaders, requesting a special relief package for the disaster-affected families. However, the central government did not provide any financial assistance. The state’s Congress government had to mobilize its own resources to offer a special economic package of ₹4,500 crore to the affected families without any contribution from the central government.

In a joint statement, Chauhan and Negi accused the BJP-led central government of neglecting Himachal Pradesh’s development during its decade-long tenure, misleading the people with the promise of a “double-engine government” that ultimately failed. This neglect has driven the state deeper into debt. They also pointed out that Prime Minister Modi had promised to triple the import duty on apples during previous elections but instead reduced it to 50%, severely impacting Himachal Pradesh’s apple growers. The reduction in import duty led to an increase in foreign apple imports, causing local apple farmers to suffer financial losses due to unsold stock in cold storages and plummeting prices.

The ministers criticized the central government’s policies, stating that the apple business, worth ₹5,000 crore, is now in crisis, affecting thousands of families directly and indirectly involved in apple farming. They emphasized that Modi’s visits during election times, reminiscing about local dishes like Sepu Badi and Madra, won’t resonate with the people this time. The ministers warned that the people of Himachal Pradesh, though innocent, will not be deceived by empty promises. They predicted that the Congress party would secure all four Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming elections, as the public has grown wary of Modi’s rhetoric without action.

Chauhan and Negi concluded that while Modi is set to visit Himachal Pradesh again during the election campaign, it would have been more meaningful if he had shown solidarity during the disaster and addressed the apple farmers’ concerns by increasing import duties. The leaders asserted that this time, Modi’s promises would fall on deaf ears as the electorate is no longer swayed by his statements.

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