Ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP traded charges on claims of development in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday in the ongoing Budget session here.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal locked horns over the completion of Bamsan-lagwalti lift water supply scheme. Both the leaders made contradictory claims on the laying foundation and inauguration of the scheme.
The debate also brought some chaotic moments in the house when Congress legislator Asha Kumari spoke "Maine Rajneeti me kabhi Gadhe se koyi Prerna nahi lee (I have not taken any inspiration from Donkey in politics".
The BJP legislators took strong exception to Asha Kumari’s remarks and demanded withdrawal of the remarks. later, the interventions of BJP’s senior leader Suresh Bhardwaj and Prem Kumar Dhumal brought back order in the house.
Earlier, BJP legislator, Randhir Sharma hauled up the Government with his sharp and strict observations. His remarks were so target oriented that Virbhadra Singh had to interrupt him a number of times to defend his Government.
The Chief Minister even threatened Sharma of filing a defamation case against him, for misleading the house. He challenged Randhir Sharma to make the allegations in writing with his affidavit and Government would get a probe conducted in all his allegations.
On the issue of creating second capital in Dharamshala, Sharma said that the announcement was made with an eye on vote bank. He said, with empty State coffers, the Government was announcing formation of a new capital.
Terming Bilaspur to be capital of mafia in the State, Randhir Sharma said that the drug mafia had a free hand in the State.
Taking a dig at CM’s claim of his love for Kangra, Sharma said if CM loved Kangra, then he should project a leader from Kangra as a Chief Minister candidate. He said that Virbhadra Singh aspired either to be CM for the seventh time or wanted his son to be Chief Minister.
Alleging Government of promoting corruption in public recruitments and police, Sharma said that the Health department had advertised 314 posts of nurses, but later a notification of 116 posts was released and finally 553 nurses were selected by the department.
He also raised the issue of transferring an ASI of police from Mandi, who had unearthed a gang of car thieves, he said that the ASI was asked not to conduct probe before transferring him out. He alleged that an officer of IG level, phoned the investigating officer to put off the probe. He also alleged corruption in recruitment of Home guard also.
Refuting allegations made by Randhir Sharma, the Chief Minister said that these were a pack of lies and he had hurt the dignity of the house by making baseless allegations.