Local MLA and Kullu BJP president Govind Singh Thakur has accused the state government of politicising the five-day annual Manali Winter Carnival-2014.
While addressing mediapersons at the local circuit house on Friday, the MLA regretted that the cultural stage of Manu Rangshala, the venue of the Carnival celebration was "virtually politicised where office bearers of the Congress party were allowed to address the gathering at the opening ceremony in the presence of chief minister Virbhadra Singh on Thursday.
He said that the CM had no right to gain political mileage through the carnival. Thakur further alleged that local folk artists were being ignored by not being given any opportunity to perform at the carnival. He demanded that local artists must be given chance to showcase their skills at the winter carnival Manali.
"As the CM is bent upon politicising the function, as such I had no alternate but to boycott all official functions of the chief minister at Manali on Thursday," said Thakur. He further revealed that though he had given a courtesy call to the CM at Hidimba temple as a goodwill gesture morning right before flagging off of the cultural procession by Virbhadra.
Thakur expressed grave concern on the considerable decline in the standard of Manali Winter Carnival. He recalled that it was the then BJP government in the state, which had declared the carnival as a national-level festival in the year 2011.
He said that the motorable bridge on river Beas at 17 Miles village whose foundation stone was laid by Virbhadra on Thursday was put in the MLA's priority scheme by him in the year 2009. He alleged that so far no gift-deed has been executed by the landowners and no clearance obtained from the FCA to link the road with the proposed bridge. He blamed the CM for acting in a haste to get the development works executed.
{{/usCountry}}He said that the motorable bridge on river Beas at 17 Miles village whose foundation stone was laid by Virbhadra on Thursday was put in the MLA's priority scheme by him in the year 2009. He alleged that so far no gift-deed has been executed by the landowners and no clearance obtained from the FCA to link the road with the proposed bridge. He blamed the CM for acting in a haste to get the development works executed.
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