Sparring between the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to get more intense in days to come, with Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday crossing swords with former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal over allegations levelled against him and his party colleague by the BJP chargesheet submitted to governor on Wednesday.
Sukhu not only questioned the political ethics of the BJP leaders and former chief minister, but dared him to prove charges against him within a month. “I dare Dhumal to prove charges within a month. If he could prove charges against me, I would quit politics; and, if he could not, then Dhumal should retire from politics,” Sukhu told mediapersons while ridiculing Dhumal on the chargesheet here on Friday.
“If Dhumal feels that there was some wrongdoing in the land purchased by my wife, he should have given an affidavit to prove his point. One cannot be allowed to rake up allegations just for the sake of it,” said Sukhu, threatening Dhumal to take the legal course against him.
“Where in the laws it is laid down that only Dhumal's sons can purchase land and no one else? What's wrong I have done if my wife bought a land,” he questioned, admitting that his wife Kamlesh Thakur had purchased 1 bigha and 6 biswas from one Sanku Devi at tourist place Fagu near Kufri.
Divulging details of the land purchase, Sukhu said the land was bought during the BJP regime - on September 1, 2011 on the payment of Rs 7.1 lakh. However, he denied the allegations that the woman from whom the land was purchased became landless. To substantiate his claim, Sukhu said Sanku Devi had sold 12 biswa on February 28, 2013, and, at present, she owns 3.2 bighas. “She is not landless, as claimed by the opposition party in the chargesheet,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Divulging details of the land purchase, Sukhu said the land was bought during the BJP regime - on September 1, 2011 on the payment of Rs 7.1 lakh. However, he denied the allegations that the woman from whom the land was purchased became landless. To substantiate his claim, Sukhu said Sanku Devi had sold 12 biswa on February 28, 2013, and, at present, she owns 3.2 bighas. “She is not landless, as claimed by the opposition party in the chargesheet,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, attacking the Dhumal, Sukhu questioned him over his being the chief patron of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA).
“The HPCA got 450 kanals from the state government for a society formed to promote sports. However, later, the society was converted into a company under the Companies Act,” he said.
“Is there anything more questionable than why Dhumal is the chief patron of the HPCA while his elder son Anurag is president and his younger brother Arun Singh is vice-president? It appears that the entire HPCA is meant for the Dhumals,” said Sukhu, adding, as a legislator he had already made his assets public.