BJP always acted against Kangra: CM

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, February 2

The second phase of winter sojourn of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh began in Kangra district today. Stress was laid on making Kangra district a political issue for the Assembly elections scheduled this year.

While talking to The Tribune, Virbhadra Singh said the BJP was opposing his decision to declare Dharamsala as second capital of the state. The BJP had always acted against the interests of Kangra district. It had even opposed the Smart City status for Dharamsala as well, the Chief Minister alleged.

He, however, remained non-committal about fighting the next Assembly elections from Kangra district. Responding to queries from newsmen, Virbhadra Singh said he could contest and win elections from anywhere. Kangra MLA Pawan Kajal offered the Chief Minister his Assembly constituency Kangra.

In a show of strength a ‘Samaan Rally’ was organised at Matour in Kangra Assembly constituency, represented by Pawan Kajal, to thank the Chief Minister for declaring Dharamsala as the second capital.

Accepting the demands of Pawan Kajal, the Chief Minister announced a government degree college at Matour and an IPH division at Kangra. He announced the Kangra Dasehra as a district level fair and upgradation of the PHC at Tiara to Community Health Centre. With the said announcements the Kangra district would now have 20 government colleges. The Kangra Assembly constituency got two new government colleges during the stint of the present Congress government, including one at Matour and Takipur. The Takipur college was started last year and at present running from the building of the local government school.

The Chief Minister claimed that he had shifted board of school education to Dharamsala in 1984. All important offices of Chief Engineers were in Dharamsala. Winter sojourn was started in 1994 and the Vidhan Sabha was started from Prayas Bhawan in 2005 before the Vidhan Sabha complex came up.

The Chief Minister also said that he was astonished that instead of welcoming even former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar was opposing the move declaring Dharamsala as the second capital.

“Due to instigation of a few state BJP leaders, one union minister was pursuing cases against me. My single case of income tax was being probed by three investigating agencies, but I know the truth will prevail in the end”, the CM said.

The Chief Minister also released an audio CD of Additional Advocate General Vinay Sharma.

Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma said that it disappointing that BJP leaders were criticising the announcement made by the Chief Minister declaring Dharamshala the second capital. State Youth Congress president Vikramaditya Singh, who also addressed the meeting, and said the winter sojourn at Dharamsala was planned long back to ensure equality of all regions. He blamed the opposition for playing divisive policies.

He said that the unemployed allowance was already being given and the state government had set up an ADB sponsored Rs 640 crore Kaushal Vikas Nigam.