Central agencies being misused against me: CM

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, November 30

After facing an aggressive attack against him over the CBI case registered him, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said that the Central agencies were being misused against him. He said that the BJP wanted him to be replaced as CM they were afraid of him. “I have countered them in public irrespective of the fact that I was in or out of government,” he said.

He also alleged that the CBI had filed a case against him on the complaint of the union finance minister Arun Jaitley.

The Chief Minister said a power struggle was going on in the state BJP and leaders were vying for war of succession. Due to it they were trying to outdo each other in targeting me.

Regarding the statement of the Speaker yesterday that the Vidhan Sabha in Dharamsala was a white elephant as it was used for just four days in a year, the CM said it was he who had got the Assembly House constructed in Kangra to give representation to the area. To put the Dharamsala Vidhan Sabha to optimum use the state government was planning to allow its use for national and international conventions.

On the demand of the BJP that the state government should make at least one minister sit at Dharamsala, the CM said that the BJP should have done it when they were in power.

Responding to the allegations of opposition that development in the state was at a standstill, the Chief Minister said rapid development was taking place. He said that record number of sub tehsils and government colleges have been opened up in the state during the stint of present government. Process has been started to establish AIIMS and IIM institutes in Himachal Pradesh.

On the allegations of the BJP that the rally venue has been cancelled deliberately, the Chief Minister said the decision regarding it has been taken by the district magistrate and he had nothing to do with it.

To a media query regarding the demand raised by Shimla BJP MLA Suresh Bharadwaj that the government should bring an Act to open sealed roads in Shimla for general public, the Chief Minister said that he should approach the High court over the matter. The CM said he had been a victim and cases had been fabricated against him whenever Prem Kumar Dhumal became CM.

Regarding his recent meeting with Dhumal, Virbhadra Singh said that the meeting was formal and a part of precedent that CM and Leader of Opposition always meet before session.He said special category status to Himachal had been restored after he took up the matter with the union government.