Amid allegations and counter-allegations by ruling Congress and Opposition BJP in Himachal Pradesh on alleged corruption of top leaders, former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Thursday jumped in the fray to counter allegations of Congress Ministers on the issue of dual pan cards which he allegedly had earlier.
The issue of dual pan cards was raked up by the Congress leaders time and again during the previous BJP Government. Dhumal termed the allegations as an act of mudslinging, saying that the issue was settled after Income-Tax department had inquired into the matter. “It was just a clerical mistake, which had taken place and Congress leaders had even complained to Prime Minister office, finance minister, Intelligence Bureau and Income Tax department, following which inquiry had taken place and no irregularities were found,” said the former chief minister.
He added that Income Tax department had investigated the matter and found that the anomaly had taken place due to the clerical mistake in which wrong pan numbers were given in the affidavit filed during 2007 assembly elections. Counteringthe allegations of former chief minister younger son Arun Dhumal against chief minister Virbhadra Singh for securing loan from a private entity, two Congress ministers Sudhir Sharma and Prakash Chaudhary had on Wednesday alleged that leader of opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal himself had two PAN cards, which was violations of IT act.
Both the Congress ministers had justified seeking loan by chief minister from a private individual at the interest rate of 12 percent and said every citizen of the country has the right to seek loan from any individual or organisation. Dhumal, leader of Opposition, said that Congress ministers are well aware of the outcome of the inquiry conducted by Income Tax department and cautioned them to refrain themselves from politics of mudslinging, which will lead to nowhere.