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HP Congress demands reinstallation of Sonia’s plaque at Atal Tunnel
State party chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore said the Congress didn’t want to make it a political issue, but if it the plaque is not reinstalled within the deadline given by them, a stir would be launched.
Himachal Pradesh Congress president Kuldeep Singh Rathore on Thursday asked the state government when they would reinstall the foundation stone plaque of Atal Tunnel if it has been found safe with Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
He also sought clarification on whose orders was the plaque remove by the BRO.
“The BRO has admitted that the plaque is safe with it, so when is the government going to install it at the Atal Tunnel,” he asked while speaking to the media at the state party headquarters in Shimla.
Rathore said the Congress doesn’t want to make it a political issue, but if it is not re-installed within the deadline given by the opposition party, a stir will be launched.
The Congress chief also slammed the Jai Ram Thakur-led state government stating that the saffron regime was trying to distort history. “It is a fact that the foundation stone of Rohtang Tunnel was laid by Sonia Gandhi on June 28, 2010. Removing this foundation stone from its place is against democratic values and totally immoral,” he said.
Rathore said the kind of politics BJP was doing over the construction of Rohtang Tunnel was condemnable.
“Such politics on the foundation stone shows BJP’s character and their narrow thinking,” he alleged adding that even BJP veteran and former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal has spoken against the removal of the plaque.
Rathore also slammed the state government for its “anti-people” decisions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Instead of giving relief to the people during the Corona outbreak, the government put more burden on them,” he said.
He also criticized the government for hiking the rates of various tests in government hospitals and demanded withdrawal of the decision.
Rathore expressed surprise at the arbitrariness of the cement companies in the state and said it seems that the government has buckled before these firms.
“The cement that is made using the state’s resources is cheaper elsewhere, but costly in Himachal. This is an injustice to the people of Himachal and shall not be tolerated,” he said condemning the cement companies for hiking the prices per bag by ₹10.
Expressing concern over the growing Covid cases in the state, Rathore said the government failed to follow the protocol properly which led to a surge in the infections, leaving people to their fate. “There is no proper system to curb the infections,” he said asking the government to enforce strict rules to prevent the spread.
