After the slugfest between former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, now former Union Minister and BJP’s Kangra candidate Shanta Kumar has alleged that Singh scuttled his proposal for AIIMS-like hospital at Kangra.
“My dream project of developing the Vivekananda Hospital, Palampur on the lines of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital was scuttled by chief minister Virbhadra Singh, as he didn’t support the proposal even as the then NDA Government had given its nod in principal,” said Shanta Kumar.
He said the then Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj and later Shatrughan Sinha after a visit to Vivekananda Hospital had agreed to the proposal as the center was mulling to open one AIIMS level institute in each State, however, it needed a go ahead from the State Government. “Even I had assured them of getting the permission from Congress led State Government, as I always considered Virbhadra Singh as a friend,” said Shanta Kumar, adding that the required infrastructure was already created in Vivekananda hospital and adequate land too was available in the surrounding area.
“Ironically, Virbhadra Singh led Government denied the permission and instead promoted the Tanda Hospital,” added Shanta Kumar. He added that the Congress Government could not develop Tanda medical college and hospital as an AIIMS level institute and the Vivekananda Hospital too was deprived of the opportunity.
On the party’s prospects in ensuing general elections, BJP veteran claimed that party will emerge as the single largest party and NDA will form a majority Government at Center. “For first time, in electoral history of the country, I have seen such an overwhelming response for the party,” said Kumar.
He said electorates of Himachal Pradesh will also break away from its tradition, who otherwise vote in favour of party that rules the state and will cast their vote for a strong government that only BJP could provide.
Expressing concern over the wasteful expenditure in the elections, he said the party after forming Government will seriously think upon electoral reforms. Shanta said development of tourism in the State will be his priority as party has also given emphasis on development of this rapidly growing sector.
Congress has always given top priority to Hamirpur: Virbhadra
Shimla: Refuting allegations of BJP, that Congress Government had always given step motherly treatment to former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal home district Hamirpur, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that his Government has always given priority to the district.
Campaigning in Hamirpur district, Chief Minister claimed that only Congress party can ensure equal development of all the areas of the State. Singh said that the fully computerised Mewa-Bamsun drinking water supply scheme amounting to Rs 75 crore was started during the previous Congress Government and was completed within a record period of 10 months, benefiting 235 villages of the area.
“Congress had always given priority to Hamirpur district, as is evident from the development works it carried out here. Besides fulfilling the water needs of the people of the area, the Congress Government gave IIT, polytechnic institute and now has announced a medical college for Hamirpur, besides many other development works. More than 90 per cent of schools in Hamirpur district were opened by the previous successive Congress Government,” he said while addressing gathering at Barsar and Bijhari.
He asked former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to count on his achievements in Hamirpur district. Referring to Dhumal, Singh said that becoming Chief Minister was not enough, one has to create rapport with the common man and work for upliftment of society, as a whole rather than adopting autocratic style of functioning and keep revengeful attitude.
Referring to HPCA, Singh said that how and in what capacity the office bearers of HPCA were making unfounded statements against the Governor of the State. “This is a shameful act,” said the Chief Minister adding that the Government could think of sparing the HPCA, if it transforms the association back to society and its governing body is reconstituted democratically with representation to every district and voting rights to the players rather than to a family and few handpicked people.
HP Cong welcomes ECI steps to ban Amit Shah from campaigning
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) on Saturday hailed the step of Election Commission of India (ECI) on barring BJP’s Uttar Pradesh in-charge Amit Shah from holding any public rallies in the state for the upcoming lok Sabha elections. HPCC spokesperson Naresh Chauhan said that ECI’s decision was historic in view of BJP’s divisive politics to gain political mileage in the lok Sabha elections. “BJP’s prime ministerial candidate have appointed Amit Shah in-charge of biggest state of India, Uttar Pradesh to polarise votes on the basis of religion and caste but ECI took the important step at right time to ban Shah from holding any future rallies,” said Chauhan.
Ironically, the State Congress did not name Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan who was also banned by ECI from holding rallies in Uttar Pradesh owing to his hate speeches and had asked for registration of FIR against him.