Former Minister GS Bali on Sunday accused the Himachal Government of misusing the official machinery for arranging people to attend the proposed rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Dharamshala on December 27.
The Prime Minister will address the rally there to mark the first anniversary of the Jai Ram Thakur Government in Himachal.
Senior Congress leader GS Bali, while talking to the mediapersons in Kangra alleged that the State Government is misusing the official machinery for gathering crowd for the proposed rally.
He claimed that all sub-divisional magistrates in the state have been asked to ensure a large gathering of people to attend the rally. The officials have been asked to identify beneficiaries of various government schemes and arrange for their to-and-fro travel to the rally site from all nooks and corners of the state, he said.
The Congress leader also claimed that even school teachers have been ordered to bring school children in civil dress to the rally site.
The former Minister added, "We too organised many rallies for Prime Ministers in the past, but never used such tactics.”
“The Chief Minister should ask the Education Departments not to shut down schools on the rally day. They should bring general public and not the school children or government employees to attend the rally,” he said.
Administration had earlier announced its decision to keep the schools and colleges closed on December 27 to avoid inconveniences to the students on the day due to possible traffic snarls due to security arrangement for the Prime Minister's rally.