Himachal Government misusing official machinery for Mandi rally, alleges Leader of Opposition

Our Correspondent

UNA, DECEMBER 24

Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri today charged that the state government was misusing government machinery for organising the BJP rally to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mandi district to commemorate the completion of four years in power.

Addressing media persons here, Agnihotri said it was a matter of shame that targets have been fixed for various departments to garner crowd in the rally.

The Congress leader showed an official communication from the state secretariat, directing the officers to send beneficiaries of different government schemes to the rally. He said a target of 40,000 audience at the BJP rally has been fixed for 11 different departments.

Elaborating on the targets given to various departments to garner crowd, Agnihotri said Welfare, Rural Development and Jal Shakti Departments had been given a target of 5,000 beneficiaries each, Health Department has to send 3,500 beneficiaries, Civil Supplies target has been set at 3,000, while Horticulture and Milk Federation will send 1,600 people to the rally and a target of 700 beneficiaries has been set to Animal Husbandry department.

Alleging that this was the first such attempt by any government in the state to openly misuse bureaucracy for political functions the Leader of Opposition said even the cost of refreshments and meals for these persons will be borne by the Deputy Commissioner.