On a day when senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley charged Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh of corruption in New Delhi, Governor Urmila Singh sent the chargesheet submitted to her by the Opposition to State Government seeking comments for CBI inquiry on the charges levelled against Cabinet Ministers and Chief Minister.
Opposition had submitted a chargesheet to the Governor on December 25, on completion of one year of the Virbhadra Singh Government levelling serious charges of incompetence and corruption of Ministers and has demanded CBI probe into the charges.
The chargesheet had raised the political temperature in the State and baffled Ministers are clarifying each and every day on the charges against them.
The chargesheet of the Opposition was received by the Government from the Governor on Monday and it has decided to wait for the return of Chief Minister from his winter sojourn of Kangra district, after which discussions will be taking place and apt reply will be sent to the Governor.
BJP in its chargesheet has levelled serious allegations of corruption and incompetence against the Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers. Charges were also levelled against Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.
After the chargesheet, the cornered Congress Ministers have been clarifying on the charges levelled against them saying that it is half truth and falsehood.
Some Ministers have even threatened with legal course of action against the Opposition leaders though none of them have so far moved the courts. Virbhadra Singh has already termed the chargesheet of BJP, as bundle of lies and said that the document is based on baseless allegations.
“Though it is based on baseless allegations but still Government as its duty, is examining it,” Singh had said earlier.
With Governor sending the chargesheet to the State Government, seeking comments for CBI inquiry, in all likelihood government will be on sticky wicket to comment on CBI inquiry against itself.
“No Government will ever order inquiry against its ministers and it is likely that State Government will say that the document is based on frivolous allegations,” said a senior official requesting anonymity.
The incumbent Congress Government when in Opposition last year had also brought out a chargesheet against the then BJP Government before the Assembly elections in the State.
When Congress came to power in the State in December 2012, it instituted inquiries against the BJP based on the chargesheet. Vigilance bureau of the State is probing 46 cases, based on the chargesheet submitted by the Congress.