Jai Ram Thakur questions Congress over unmet cow dung purchase promise

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India] November 6 : Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday criticised the Congress-led government in Himachal Pradesh for failing to deliver on its promise to buy cow dung from farmers.
According to Thakur, the Congress had pledged before the elections to purchase cow dung at two rupees per kilo, a commitment voiced by the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and other Congress leaders across the state. However, after two years in office, the government now intends to buy compost instead, a shift that Thakur sees as a clear attempt to deceive.
Thakur had questioned the government's understanding, saying, "Don't the Chief Minister and ministers know the difference between cow dung and compost?" He pointed out that converting cow dung into compost requires time and effort, and that farmers are unlikely to sell their compost at three rupees per kilo after such hard work. He condemned the government's approach as insensitive, especially given the central government's support for zero-budget farming.
Thakur also alleged that Congress has a pattern of making hollow promises. He cited instances like the Samman Nidhi program, where the government gave funds to a small fraction of promised recipients, and the jobs guarantee, which has seen more eliminations than job creation. He believes these broken promises have embarrassed Congress nationwide, complicating the party's election efforts elsewhere.
The opposition leader vowed to hold the government accountable, saying, "Even if they don't know the difference between cow dung and compost, the people of the state do, and we won't let this trick succeed." Thakur's comments underscore growing political tension as Himachal Pradesh heads toward the next election season.