Kullu: Youth Congress workers scuffle with cops

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KULLU, MAY 27

The police stopped a procession of Congress workers who were going to show black flags and oppose the Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone of a private hospital at Patlikul in Manali subdivision of this district today. A minor scuffle took place between the Youth Congress workers and the police personnel. They raised black flags and raised slogans against the government, Chief Minister and Education Minister Govind Singh Thakur.

As the security agencies were aware of the strategy of the Congress, a heavy police force was deployed outside Ambedkar Bhawan where the meeting of the district Congress committee was being held.

After the meeting was over, Youth Congress and Congress workers started marching towards the venue. But the police force was stationed outside the gate and they were not allowed to go further. Congress workers accused the state government of using police force.

District Youth Congress vice-president Rohit Mahajan said that they were not against the coming up of a private hospital but it was not appropriate to provide government land for free to the foundation for the hospital. He said, “If the foundation was so rich and did charity to provide free medical treatment for the poor, then it should have purchased private land.” He said that over 4,000 people who are landless or are having less than 2 biswa land should be given priority in providing free land by the government rather than providing huge chunks to private institutions.

The Congress has been opposing free government land for the private hospital. Kullu Sadar MLA Sunder Singh Thakur had said that masses of Kullu and Congress would oppose the Chief Minister’s visit for laying the foundation of a private hospital.

He said that masses were sitting on an indefinite dharna for the last 25 days, but instead of filling vacant posts of doctors and improving facilities in Kullu Regional Hospital, the Chief Minister was providing government land worth Rs 20 crores for free to a private hospital. He alleged that private hospitals take land in the name of charitable institutions and later no free treatment is given.