Rally an act of indiscipline: CM to Bali

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 18

The verbal duel between Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Transport Minister GS Bali seems to be hotting up with the Chief Minister stating that the plans of his Cabinet colleague to hold a youth rally on the issue of unemployment allowance would be perceived as an act of indiscipline.

Talking to mediapersons here today, the Chief Minister said no minister was supposed to hold any rally without the prior permission of the government. “Holding such a rally will be perceived as an act of indiscipline which will not be tolerated at any cost,” he remarked.

It now remains to be seen whether Bali will stick to his plans of holding a rally by the end of this month at Nagrota and later in March at Dharamsala after the CM’s remarks today.

He reiterated his stand on the demand being made by Bali about fulfilling the election promise of giving Rs 1,000 unemployment allowance to the educated jobless youth.

“Considering the financial health of the state, we are not in a position to fulfil this demand. Moreover, we are providing the Skill Development Allowance to the youth which is a much wiser and better way to make the youth employable, both in the government and private sector,” he explained.

The Congress, in its election manifesto during the 2012 Assembly poll, had promised to provide unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000 to all plus two and graduate youth with family income of less than Rs 2 lakh annually. Bali, who was part of the election manifesto committee, had been candid in demanding that irrespective of the financial condition of the state, the government must fulfil its commitment.