New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday lashed out at the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh for alleged attempts to block Central schemes and stymie crucial projects.

Accusing Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu of making desperate attempts to take credit for BJP’s developmental works, he claimed that the state administration was spreading blatant lies and propaganda on Hamirpur medical college.

"Chief Minister Sukhu's selective memory seems to be failing him as he spreads misinformation and propaganda regarding the establishment of the Hamirpur medical college," the Union Minister said while addressing a series of public meetings in Sujanpur and Dharampur.

He also claimed that the Congress is set to face a significant defeat in the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency.

Further slamming the Sukhu dispensation, Union Minister Thakur said, "Instead of engaging in such blatant falsehoods, he should focus on delivering results for the people during his tenure. With his administration failing to fulfil any of its promises over the past 16 months, Sukhu's attempts to appropriate BJP's accomplishments ring hollow and reflect poorly on his leadership."

He said that Congress is "fabricating false propaganda" over medical colleges now and after June 4, it will "start crying foul over EVMs".

"The Chief Minister is acutely aware of this reality. As their credibility continues to plummet and their support base wanes, the Congress party has resorted to falsehoods as a desperate tactic," the Union Minister added.

He also shared a comprehensive timeline regarding Hamirpur medical college and told the gathering, "On March 1, 2014, a 100-bed Maternal-Child Hospital was inaugurated at Zonal Hospital Mandi. During the ceremony, then Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad laid the foundation stone for a block worth Rs 17 crore. He also announced the establishment of two medical colleges in Chamba and Nahan, along with two trauma centres and one burn centre for Himachal Pradesh."

"It's noteworthy that this announcement, made prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, lacked any budgetary allocation, indicating its political nature. Furthermore, he inaugurated the incomplete Super Specialty Hospital block of Tanda Medical College via video conferencing due to adverse weather conditions, with no mention of the Hamirpur Medical College at the time," Union Minister Thakur said.

“In furtherance of bolstering and upgrading government medical colleges, the Central government sanctioned the creation of 20 EWS MBBS seats in Dr Radhakrishnan Government Medical College (Hamirpur) on January 23, 2023, with an allocated amount of Rs 24 crores. To date, the Central government has disbursed Rs 5.4 crore out of its share of Rs 21.6 crore to the state government. Therefore, Chief Minister Sukhu should cease his continuous dissemination of falsehoods regarding Hamirpur medical college," he added.

He accused the Congress government of obstructing the Centre’s developmental initiatives in the state and said that the public will give a "fitting reply" to it in the elections.