The BJP on Saturday took out protest demonstrations against the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Himachal government over the shutting down of different offices and institutions opened by the previous regime in the last six months of its tenure.
The protests took place outside the district office complex in Shimla and at Sulah in Kangra district. Since taking over the reins of the hill-state, the Congress government has de-notified around 400 offices of different departments, health and educational institutions that were opened or upgraded in the last six months of the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government. Around 100 more such institutions are likely to be closed in the coming days.
An illegal decision: Suresh Bhardwaj
Participating in the protest at Shimla, former minister Suresh Bhardwaj said the government should stop undoing the public welfare works undertaken by the previous government. “The government’s decision to shut down institutions approved by the previous government is illegal,”said Bhardwaj, adding that the BJP will approach the governor if the de-notified institutions were not reopened.
Former speaker of Vidhan Sabha Vipin Singh Parmar, who led the protest in Kangra, described the government’s move as betrayal of the people of the state, who had given their mandate to the Congress. “This government has resorted to dictatorship. Two people and some officers are taking decision, while the Cabinet has not yet been formed,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Former speaker of Vidhan Sabha Vipin Singh Parmar, who led the protest in Kangra, described the government’s move as betrayal of the people of the state, who had given their mandate to the Congress. “This government has resorted to dictatorship. Two people and some officers are taking decision, while the Cabinet has not yet been formed,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Institutions opened for political gain: AICC secy
All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary and Dharamshala legislator Sudhir Sharma reiterated that the institutions that have been de-notified were opened without budgetary provisions, against the recommendation of finance department.
“These institutions and offices were opened in a hurry for political gains, and only exited on paper. There was no infrastructure on ground,” he said.
On the BJP’s protest demonstrations, Sharma said, “As their misdeeds have been exposed, BJP leaders are trying to gain sympathy by raising a hue and cry.”
Training his guns at the previous BJP government over the Junior Office Assistant (IT) paper leak case, he said, “Corrupt officers, who sheltered the BJP government would not be spared. It was CM Sukhu, who during the BJP regime had raised the issue of paper leaks in the Vidhan Sabha. The racket that was busted on December 23 was thanks to the vigil being kept on crooks since the Congress came to power.”
“Soon after getting a tip off, action was taken and the criminals were arrested,” he said, adding that the corrupt would not be able to escape.