After BJP disrupted the proceedings on the opening day of the Winter Session of the Assembly here, Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh termed the party as “fascist” and leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal as “dictator” saying he didn’t want the House to work properly.
“In Indian democracy, there is no example of fascism but BJP is a fascist party which if voted to power with full majority will rule the country like a dictator and would put the unity and integrity in gross danger,” said Singh.
He said, “Dhumal has been saying that he will not allow the House to work unless debate is done on an issue which clearly means he does not believe in democracy. During his tenure as Chief Minister of the State he tried to level false cases against me and tried to suppress the opposition, which indicate he is a muscleman,” alleged Singh.
“I have always respected opposition and State Government is not shying away from any debate but it is the prerogative of Speaker to order any debate and Government has no role in it,” said the Chief Minister refuting the allegations of opposition. He said that Opposition was feeling the heat due to investigations going on in different cases and they are reacting to it. “I will not try to broker any peace with the opposition and government has no need to do it. We are always ready for debate both in the house and outside the house,” said Chief Minister in reply to a question.
‘Won’t allow House to work’
Taking a tough stand on the debate in the House on corruption charges against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh among other issues, leader of the Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal categorically said that the Opposition would not allow the House to work unless debate was done.
“Why is the Government shying away from debate and why was it trying to dictate the Chair of Speaker,” asked Dhumal after the House was adjourned for the day amid pandemonium. Opposition is not levelling any baseless allegations and these issues were very serious in nature and in public interest, he said.
“A Government school principal facilitated transfer of 36 employees on the charges that those transferred were RSS workers, should this not be discussed, transfer orders are issued on forged documents, is thisnot important, serious corruption charges are levelled against Chief Minister, don’t the people of the state need to know,” said Dhumal.
Countering Virbhadra, Dhumal said charges of booking him in false cases were wrong. “All the cases against the Chief Minister were made during his tenure himself and everyone knows how in single day he appeared for trial and how judge pronounced judgment on same day by working overtime,” said Dhumal.
He alleged that opposition MlAs and party workers were being targeted by lodging fake cases to settle political scores by the Government. “This is the Government which is actually working in a dictatorship style,” said Dhumal adding that if Government was so innocent or of clean image then it should allow the debate to take place.