Development works to be theme of Una rally: Agnihotri

Our Correspondent

Una, June 21

Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today said development and public welfare activities initiated during the Congress regime in the state would form the theme of the government’s state-level programme to be organised in Una on June 25 on the occasion of the completion of its first half of the five-year period.

Addressing mediapersons at the PWD Rest House, the minister said coordination between the Congress government and party organisation functionaries would be visible at the programme, adding that besides the Chief Minister, all Cabinet ministers, state party president, sitting and former party MLAs, state and district-level organisation functionaries would be present.

Agnihotri said the Indira Gandhi sports ground, venue of the Congress rally, would display exhibitions of various developmental schemes and welfare activities initiated by the state government during two and a half years of its rule.

He said the CM would lead a procession in an open jeep from the Circuit House to the venue, about 2 km away, in which cultural troupes and musical parties would also participate. District Congress president Varinder Dharmani was also present.

Replying to a question on the Supreme Court decision to ban the photographs of the Chief Minister and the state cabinet ministers on government advertisements and other publicity material like boards and hoardings, Agnihotri said the orders were being complied and being studied simultaneously by the state government.

Agnihotri, who also holds charge of the Information and Public Relations Department, said the state government had sent a written request to the Union Government to go into an appeal against the Supreme Court orders. He said the state government was studying the orders from all angles.

The minister said a number of developmental activities and schemes were initiated by the state government and since the CM was an elected leader of the masses, he had the right to address, educate and inform the people of the state of these issues.

Reacting to the incident at the Mandi IIT building construction site where four associates of a contractor were killed yesterday, Agnihotri, who also holds the Labour and Employment porfolio, termed the incident as unfortunate. He said while the government had already ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, he had also directed Labour Department officers to get to the truth. He said the government would protect the interests of the people of the state and outsiders would not be allowed to harass them at any cost.