Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday passed the Motion of Thanks on Governor’s Address, after the Opposition staged a walkout, just moments before the proceedings of the house were about to close.
Expressing their displeasure on Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's reply on the debate that went on for four days in the State assembly, BJP senior leader Suresh Bhardwaj said that Virbhadra Singh had eluded reply to all the complex issues raised by the opposition during the debate. He said, 38 members spoke over the governor's address, but CM was making mockery of his reply by making accusation on opposition.
Earlier, presenting his concluding reply over the discussion on Governor's Address, Virbhadra Singh said that the Congress had implemented 99 percent of the promises it made in its manifesto before the assembly elections in 2012.
In his reply that lasted for around 70 minutes, he had to even withdraw one of his remark, he had used for the opposition. During the bedlam, the Chief Minister even alleged that the opposition had made strategy to disturb him during his reply on the Governor's Address and he had got intelligence report about this plan of opposition.
On the issue of granting 'Unemployment Allowance' to unemployed youth, the Chief Minister said that given the financial position, Government could not fulfill this promise despite its will.He said that Government would implement it as and when the situation and resources allow.
Retorting the accusations of discrimination, he said that discrimination was a part of BJP's mentality and it had been repeating this allegation since the times of Jan Sangh. He claimed that Congress had never resorted to politics of discrimination.
Making a big announcement during his reply, the Chief Minister said that all the vacancies in the education department would be filled before September 2017. Replying on the charge of shortage of teachers in educational institutes, he said that directions have already been issued to education department and Government would make new batch wise recruitments.
He also rebuked the opposition on its protest on the issue of forming second capital in Dharamshala. He said that forming capital at Dharamshala second capital was not a politically motivated decision, but to accommodate the largest district, where from 15 MlAs of the Himachal Assembly came from.
Taking a dig at BJP, he said that BJP members think themselves to be champions of public, but we consider ourselves servants of the society. On the issue of getting 'Smart City' status for Shimla, CM said, it was Central Government's decision to pick Dharamshala for Smart City project, but the Government was trying to get Shimla included in the scheme. Speaking on the issue of drug mafia, the CM said that the Government had cracked down on drug suppliers and in the last year, security agencies had performed extra-ordinarily to check drug mafia in the state. Refuting charges of scam in recruitments, Virbhadra Singh said that Public Service Commission and Staff Selection Commission had made 35000 recruitments during their tenure. He also said that PWD department had laid 2000 Km new roads during his tenure, which was an appreciable feet. later, talking to media, leader of opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Singh did not touch the issue of mining mafia, land mafia, drug mafia and the charges of rampant corruption.
During the discussion earlier to CM's reply, Deputy Speaker Jagat Singh Negi announced in the house that he had filed a defamation case against BJP leaders, on the allegations made against him in the charge sheet filed to the Governor. He said that the would defy the allegations of opposition before the judiciary now.