BJP MLA accuses Cong of ‘plundering’ HP resources to please Delhi bosses
Asks elected PRI, ULB elected leaders to work above politics for welfare, development of all
BJP MLA Satpal Singh Satti today alleged widespread corruption across various government departments, claiming the Congress government has dismissed the Opposition’s warnings, both inside and outside the Assembly, as mere “political propaganda.”
Addressing journalists at the party office in Una, Satti accused the government of failing to maintain law and order and turning a blind eye to systemic corruption. To back his claims, he cited several ongoing controversies, including the Chester Hill corruption case in Solan, major irregularities in the 32 MW Pekhubela village solar power project in Una, and the rampant operation of mining, liquor, drug, forest and transfer mafias. He also alleged that contractors were being forced to pay commissions just to have their treasury payments cleared.
The BJP leader further pointed to infighting among top bureaucrats and highlighted public statements made by senior Congress leader and three-time MLA Neeraj Bharti. Bharti had allegedly claimed that “briefcases full of currency” were being sent to the State Secretariat, with some eventually making their way to Delhi. Satti charged that the state’s resources were being plundered to appease central Congress leadership and secure the Chief Minister’s chair in Shimla.
Satti also slammed the government for hiking the entry tax on vehicles from other states despite strong protests. “This decision has disrupted peace and brotherhood in the border areas. In retaliation, Punjabi commuters are penalising Himachalis with ‘counter taxes’,” he said, urging the government to resolve the issue immediately.
Earlier in the day, Satti presided over an induction meeting for BJP-backed candidates who won the recent Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections in the Una Assembly segment. He urged the newly-elected representatives to rise above politics, support weaker sections of society, combat the drug menace and prioritise local development.
According to Satti, the PRI and ULB election results prove that the public is disillusioned with the Congress rule. He noted that the BJP won three out of four Municipal Corporations in the state, holds a majority in the Una Zila Parishad, and boasts 20 out of 24 BJP-supported Panchayat Samiti members in the Una segment.
