In an unprecedented overnight move, Himachal Pradesh Government has cancelled land lease granted to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) of Dharamshala international stadium and a five-star luxury resort next to it.
Police personnel at midnight had sealed the hotel pavilion and Dharamshala international stadium, which has hosted ODI and number of IPl matches. Several other properties managed by BJP MP Anurag Thakur headed HPCA at Nadaun, Hamirpur, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla were also forcibly taken under control by the police.
On Saturday late night as the State Cabinet in a marathon five-hour meeting took the decision in this regard, marching orders were given to the police across the State to take control of the HPCA’s managed properties. Vigilance Bureau has lodged two FIRs against HPCA for irregularities. However, the lease of luhnu ground at Bilaspur, which was also managed by HPCA was not cancelled.
The overnight move has sparked widescale protest across the State with Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) calling the act as “an era of undeclared emergency and undemocratic.”
“The issue of HPCA was sub-judice and Government should have waited for the court’s directions instead of rushing to the conclusion at midnight. This clearly shows the vendetta politics of current Government in the State and they will reap what they sow,” said State BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti. He clarified that BJP was not defending any act of HPCA, which is an independent body but certainly the hush-hush midnight act was condemnable.
“These steps were taken to target Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) national president and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur and this can’t be tolerated at any cost,” said Satti. On other hand, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on his maiden visit to Hamirpur district after becoming Chief Minister justified the Cabinet decision of taking control of HPCA’s properties and cancellation of lease.
“Rules and norms were flouted grossly but Government does not intend to keep the HPCA properties under its control. The properties of HPCA will be held till free and fair elections are held in the organisation, which has become a family affair of the Dhumal family,” said the Chief Minister.
He said that once investigations were complete, free and fair elections would be held and the Government would return the properties to HPCA. “Unlike the current body, which manages the HPCA, bonafide Himachalis should manage the affairs of sports institutions,” added the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, widescale protests were witnessed at Dharamshala and at sports institutions in Shimla. The BJP vice president Narendra Bragta said that the youth were protesting and there was no guarantee that protests would not turn violent.