Accusing the Congress Government in Himachal Pradesh of browbeating the process of development in the State, BJP national president Amit Shah on Friday said the present Virbhadra Singh Government was the most infamous Government that ruled the hill State ever.
Addressing the ‘Yuva Hunkaar Rally’ at Kangra, Shah accused Singh of creating obstacles in the way of development and said that State Government was not letting the development plans reach the people. He said the Narendra Modi Government had started 106 developmental projects but the State Government did not let them bring fruit.
Enthused with the packed rally ground, Shah said he might have made a mistake by fixing a target of 50 plus for HP and said it seemed that the targets would be an easy task for BJP to get in the coming assembly elections in the State.
Taking on the CM for his alleged involvement in corruption, Shah said the BJP Government at the Centre had given approximate Rs 71,611 crore more to the hill State than the UPA Government but the Congress Government had just earned a bad name for the State.
Presenting an account of grants being sent to Himachal Pradesh from Central Government, the BJP president said under the 13th Finance Commission, HP was given Rs 11,000 crore from the Central taxes but at present the Centre was giving Rs 28,000 crore from the Central taxes kitty to the hill State.
He said the grant in aid for the State had been increased from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 43,000 crore by the Modi Government under 14th Finance Commission.
Shah said the HP had lagged behind in development under the rule of the Congress and Virbhadra Singh Government had only given corruption and maladministration to the people of the State.
He said the benefits of the schemes of Modi Government had not reached HP as the CM had not been co-operating with the Centre. He said the BJP Government in the State would provide a new impetus to the process of development.
He said, Shanta Kumar is known as “Pani wala Mukhyamantri “ Chief Minister, who worked in the field of water and Prem Kumar Dhumal is known as “Sadak wala Mukhyamantri” Chief Minister, who worked for road network, but Virbhadra Singh has created name for himself as “Bharashtachaar wala Mukhyamantri”.
He alleged HP had become a place of mafia, corruption and hooliganism under the command of Virbhadra Singh.
Before Amit Shah, former Chief Ministers Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal, BJP State president Satpal Singh Satti and many other senior leaders of the party addressed the rally. Addressing people Shanta Kumar said the Virbhadra Singh Government had tainted the image of the State in the country. In his brief address, Dhumal said the people had made up their mind to change the guard in the State and they were just waiting for the election to happen.