Anita Jairath Becomes Fazilka's First Woman BJP President

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Tuesday, 25 August 2026

Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh attended the ceremony marking Anita Jhairath’s appointment as the new BJP President of the Fazilka Nagar Council and congratulated her on assuming office. Jhairath has become the first woman to lead the Fazilka Nagar Council.

Tarun described her appointment as a proud moment for Fazilka and said it reflected the increasing role of women in public life. He expressed confidence that she would carry out her responsibilities with dedication and sincerity while contributing to the city’s development and public welfare.

Highlighting the BJP’s focus on development and public service, Tarun said he hoped the Nagar Council, under Jhairath’s leadership, would focus on improving sanitation, roads, drainage and other civic facilities while addressing the needs of Fazilka residents.

During his address, Tarun also criticized the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government, alleging that it had failed to meet the expectations of government employees, particularly regarding the Old Pension Scheme.

Prior to arrival, the AAP had promised several times to the government employees that the Old Pension Scheme would be followed, Tarun said. The government has even gone so far as to donate OPS to its employees as a Diwali gift in 2022. Four years later, the promised gift is still missing. Instead, the workers have been getting police batons, said Tarun, when they walked out to protest for their rights.

Key Highlights:

• Anita Jhairath becomes Fazilka Nagar Council’s first woman president
• Chugh criticises AAP over pending employee issues and OPS
• BJP calls for a time-bound resolution to employee grievances

He said the thousands of workers who protested across Punjab reflected the anger of the masses against the AAP dispensation. OPS, pending DA arrears, Pay Scales, Regularization and other service-related issues have been the issues on which teachers, sanitation workers, power corporation employees, MGNREGA workers, NHM workers and employees from several departments are protesting.

Tarun 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 pointed out that the problem is especially critical as the cabinet sub-committee under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Harpal Singh is tasked with addressing the employee grievance. The growing protests against him are an exact representation of the employees' frustration with the government.

Tarun 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.

Tarun said the proposed statewide Maha Bandh and coordinated protests by employee organizations 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 regularization issues.

The BJP would continue to raise its voice against suppression of legitimate public grievances and against the use of the state machine to protect the powerful, Tarun added. He also applauded the appointment of first woman President of Fazilka Nagar Council, Anita Jairath, as it is a new beginning of BJP and dedication in the city towards development and public service.