Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has slammed the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh for discrimination against the pensioners of the state.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, he said that the pensioners in the state who used to get their pension on the fifth of every month, will now be given on the tenth, which is nothing short of discrimination and it seems that the government is not sensitive to their concerns.

“This discrimination by the government with retired employees who have served the state for a long time is shameful,” he blamed, seeking to know the apathy of the government.

Those who should be with their families are on the streets today, demanding for their rights, he said.

“Have people served the state for this day. Why is the government avoiding giving pensions on time?,” he questioned, adding that pension is the right of the people and the government should not take this issue lightly.

The people of the state do not want such a system change in which every person has to come out on the streets for his legitimate rights, he said taking a dig at Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu led government’s slogan of ‘vyavastha parivartan.’

Thakur said: “In the state, salary always used to come on the first of every month and pension on the fifth. But the government is delaying the pension to the retired employees.The government is treating the pensioners as if it is doing them a favour by giving them pension. Pension is their right. But the government is giving pension as if it is giving it from its own pocket.”

“Pensioners also have to manage their expenses. They have to arrange for their medicines and ration. There are expenses for the family. If the pension gets delayed, from where will they arrange for their medicines and other expenses. Therefore the government should seriously consider the issue of pensioners and instead of releasing the pension as a favour, it should release it on time,” he demanded.

Thakur further said that according to media reports the government is going to increase the water prices by ten percent again.

“It is shameful to give the people another shock, when they are already burdened with inflation. Since coming to power, not a single decision has come from the Sukhu government that has been a breather to the people of the state,” he charged.

Every day the government’s decisions are weighing heavily on the common man, he said, adding that the government should refrain from taking anti-people decisions and should remember the guarantees made at the time of elections. The Chief Minister should pay attention to the guarantees of the government and give respite to the people of the state, demanded Thakur.