Fazilka Nagar Council’s First Woman BJP President Anita Jairath Assumes Office, Tarun Chugh Congratulates Her

Fazilka/Chandigarh, August 24, 2026: Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh attended the assumption of office ceremony of newly appointed BJP President of Fazilka Nagar Council, Anita Jhairath, and congratulated her on taking charge. Anita Jairath is the first woman to head the Fazilka Nagar Council.

Chugh said Anita Jhairath’s appointment is a matter of pride for Fazilka and reflects the growing participation of women in public life. He expressed confidence that she would discharge her responsibilities with sincerity, dedication and commitment and give a new direction to development and public service in Fazilka.

Chugh said the BJP’s politics has always been centred on public service and development. He expressed confidence that under Anita Jhairath’s leadership, the Nagar Council would work towards improving sanitation, roads, drainage, civic amenities and other basic facilities and fulfil the expectations of the people of Fazilka.

Addressing the gathering, Chugh strongly criticised the Bhagwant Mann government over the growing anger among Punjab’s government employees and said the AAP government had completely betrayed employees on the issue of the Old Pension Scheme.

Chugh said that before coming to power, the AAP had repeatedly promised government employees that the Old Pension Scheme would be implemented. In 2022, the government even presented OPS as a Diwali gift to employees. Four years later, that promised gift is still missing.

“What the employees have received instead is not the promised OPS, but police batons when they came out to demand their legitimate rights,” Chugh said.

He said the protests by thousands of employees across Punjab show the depth of anger against the AAP government. Teachers, sanitation workers, power corporation employees, MGNREGA workers, National Health Mission employees and employees from several other departments have been protesting over OPS, pending DA arrears, pay scales, regularisation and other service-related issues.

Chugh said the government cannot keep giving employees assurances while refusing to take concrete decisions. “The same Harpal Singh Cheema who once stood with employees when AAP was in opposition is now part of a government that is using force against those very employees who are demanding implementation of the promises made to them,” he said.

He said the issue is particularly serious because Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema heads the Cabinet sub-committee dealing with employee grievances. The growing protests against him are a direct reflection of the employees’ frustration with the government.

Chugh said nearly seven lakh government employees and contractual workers are connected to these issues and their grievances cannot be dismissed as routine protests. “These are the people who keep Punjab’s schools, hospitals, power services, transport and administration running. A government that cannot honour its commitments to its own employees has no moral authority to lecture anyone about governance,” he said.

Chugh said the proposed statewide Maha Bandh and coordinated protests by employee organisations are a clear warning to the AAP government. Instead of confrontation and police action, the Chief Minister should immediately engage with employees and provide a clear, time-bound roadmap for implementing OPS and resolving pending DA arrears, pay-scale and regularisation issues.

Chugh added that the BJP would continue to raise its voice against the suppression of legitimate public grievances and against any attempt to misuse the state machinery to shield the powerful.

He also thanked the people of Fazilka and BJP workers, saying that Anita Jairath assuming charge as the first woman President of the Fazilka Nagar Council marks a new chapter for the BJP and a renewed commitment towards development and public service in the city.