Action will be taken against anyone responsible for Negi’s death: CM
Rejecting the Opposition’s allegations that the law and order situation has broken down completely under the Congress government, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said there was no law and order situation in the state. The BJP MLAs, however, left the House while the Chief Minister was responding to the cut motion on police and related organisations. The cut motion brought by the opposition fell as it was not present in the House at the time of voting. Claiming that the police was doing a good job in checking and controlling crime, the Chief Minister said the cases registered under the Congress government were fewer than during the BJP government in its first three years.
The Chief Minister further termed the BJP’s demand into Vimal Negi’s death as politically motivated. “The bereaved family has said that it is satisfied with the inquiry ordered by the government, but the BJP leaders are still harping on CBI probe,” said Sukhu, adding that strict action would be taken against anyone found responsible for the death of Negi. He further asked the Opposition why it did not order a CBI probe into incidents like hooch tragedy in Sundernagar and into the death of BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma.
Initiating the cut motion, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the Budget has no provision for strengthening the police infrastructure and its technological upgrade. Alleging that there was lack of discipline in police force and hardly any coordination between the various law and order enforcing agencies, Thakur said the ‘chitta’ problem had become critical in the state.
“During our rule, ‘chitta’ was confined to the border areas, but now it has reached the remote areas of the state. Several youths are being found dead on the road,” said Thakur.
He further asked why the government was scared of ordering a CBI inquiry into Negi’s death when everyone was seeking the probe by a central agency. Thakur also dwelt upon the ruckus created by the youth coming from outside the state in Kullu and the defacement and vandalisation of HRTC buses in Punjab.
Satpal Singh Satti, meanwhile, alleged that financial scams had become rampant under the current government. Satti also alleged that there was something suspicious in the Pekhubela solar project. He alleged that a 35 MW solar power project was built in Bhuj at a cost of Rs 144 crore, while the cost of 32 MW project in Una was Rs 220 crore. “The per MW cost of the Bhuj project is Rs 4.11 crore, while the per MW cost of Pekhubela is Rs 6.84 crore,” he said.
Randhir Sharma, MLA, Naina Devi , said that honest officers were being transferred to protect the ‘chitta mafia,’ while petty offenders were being harassed.
Trilok Jamwal, MLA Bilaspur, raised serious concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in Bilaspur, highlighting the recent firing incident at the residence of former MLA Bumber Thakur on Holi.
