Jaitley fires graft salvo at Virbhadra

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chambi (Dharamsala), Jan 20

Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley attacked Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for the cases registered against him. Without naming the Chief Minister, Jaitley said that he had not seen more established case of corruption as was going on against the leader of the state.

The cases against him were registered in 2011 during the stint of the previous BJP government in power but it could not be pursued due to political pressure. Now that the NDA government was in power at the Centre, it had allowed the investigating agencies to work on these without any pressure, Jaitley said.

The Union minister was addressing a rally of booth level workers of the BJP termed as “Tridev Rally” (symbolizing three workers from each booth) from Kangra parliamentary constituency.

Former CM and BJP MP from Kangra Shanta Kumar and Leader of Opposition PK Dhumal said that Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s declaration of Dharamsala as the second capital was likely to remain as announcement as many of his earlier announcements made in different parts of the state.

Jaitley justified the demonetization move of the union government. He said that due to demonetization the entire black money in the country had become accounted for. He also warned the people who had deposited their black money in banks.

He said that Mauritius, Cyprus and Singapore were three tax heavens through which Indian black money was routed back into the country. The present government had scrapped the agreements that gave tax heaven status to the said three countries.

The Modi government had come with a resolve to rectify a system generated by Congress in its 60-year rule of the country in which the poor were getting poorer and rich richer by black money.

Speaking on the occasion, senior BJP leaders termed Chief Minister’s declaration of Dharamsala as winter capital of the state as a mere political rhetoric. Dhumal said that the announcement of the Chief Minister regarding Dharamsala as winter capital was “Gopar Sangh” (Only fictional talk). Virbhadra Singh had been making announcements all over the state which cannot be implemented.

During the stint of the present Congress government Shimla had deteriorated as state capital. As many as 32 persons were killed in Shimla due to jaundice and thousands fell ill. Now the people of capital are reeling due to heavy snowfall. The present government had remained unable to maintain one capital but was talking of making another capital, Dhumal said.

He further said that the present government had not been able to implement various schemes given by the union government for Himachal. The special category status for Himachal was abolished by the previous UPA government and had been restored by the present NDA government. The share of the state in Central taxes for Himachal has been increased 32 per cent to 42 per cent.

Dhumal also alleged that there was infighting in the Congress and ministers are alleging that they were not allowed to go on stage in public rallies.

Shanta Kumar said that the way announcements were being made in the state, it had become a joke. One should not wonder if Mandi was declared the third capital of the state.

Praising Jaitley and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for demonetization, Shanta said that it was a historic step. Corruption had become deep rooted during the Congress rule. Bankers connived with black money hoarders to help them convert the currency. He also alleged that the state government was taking benefits of the union government schemes. Shanta Kumar demanded that the union government should formulate schemes for promotion of tourism in Dhauladhar valley of Kangra. Chamba was one of the most backward districts of the state. It was very rich in limestone deposits that warrant installation of a cement plant. The union government should help set up a cement plant in Chamba. This would help improve the economy of local people, he said.

Shanta Kumar also criticized the state government for failing to give its share in Smart City scheme due to which the scheme had failed to take off. He claimed that the state government till date had given just Rs 20 lakh for the Smart City project of Dharamsala.

Satpal Satti, state president of the BJP, said that the Chief Minister had termed the BJP chargesheet as a piece of trash. However, the BJP would take this chargesheet to the booth level after which the people of the state would throw the present Congress government in trash in the next Assembly elections.

Satti said that the difference of votes between the winning and losing party in Himachal elections was just four per cent. In the last elections BJP got 38 percent votes which the congress got 40 percent. He urged the booth level workers to work hard for the next elections.

Ram Lal, party in charge for Himachal, said that the entire credit for victory of the BJP should be given to the booth level workers.