CM responsible for chaos in Vidhan Sabha: Dhumal

Our Correspondent

Hamirpur, September 2

Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was responsible for the chaos during the Vidhan Sabha session that concluded on August 31. He was addressing a press conference here today.

Dhumal said it was for the first time in the history of Vidhan Sabha that the Speaker of the House called Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition along with Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Chief Whip for pre-session meeting. The BJP had assured the Speaker that there would be complete cooperation from the Opposition if the CM was ready to withdraw unwarranted statements made by him against member of Parliament Anurag Thakur and announces withdrawal of FIR against BJP MLA Randheer Sharma on the floor of the Vidhan Sabha.

He said that the CM did accordingly but on the second last day of session CM threw papers on the BJP state president and stated that the Opposition was supporting hooligans. He was referring to Sanjoli College incident in which college Principal was attacked by the members of ABVP, a BJP-supported student organisation.

Dhumal said that the government did not responded to many quarries raised by the BJP MLAs and tried to avoid discussion on the issues of corruption, development, conditions of health service, transport and conditions of the roads. Even the issues of supply of water and corruption in Irrigation and Public Health were not discussed despite repeated requests.

Speaking on the issue of regularization of encroached land Dhumal said the BJP Government in 2002 had brought a Bill to regularize the encroachment with some riders but a petition in the High Court placed it under cloud.

He said that he was never in favour of encouraging encroachment but motive behind the Act was to provide some relief to poor and those who unknowingly had raised some structures on government land.

On ‘one rank, one pension’ (OROP) issue Dhumal said the BJP was not against OROP but as the Central government had said that it would not be possible to revise it every year, the ex servicemen should also understand the practical problems.