Govt, oppn draw battlelines as HP assembly session starts tomorrow
BJP to corner govt on Kotkhai gangrape, Mandi forest guard murder
SHIMLA: The ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Himachal Pradesh have drawn battle lines for the last session of the 12 th Vidhan Sabha ahead of the assembly elections due late this year. The session will start on Tuesday.
As the state government is facing flak over a number of issues, BJP MLAs, who will meet on Monday to chalk out floor strategy for the polls, are all set to corner the government inthe House on the law and order situation afterthe gangrape and murder of 1a 6-year-old girl in Kotkhai and death of a forest guard in Mandi.
“Everyone knows how the government handled the (rape and murder) case. Then, the custodial death of an accused further puts the spotlight on police functioning,” Shimla legislator and BJP chief whip Suresh Bhardwajt old Hindustan Times.
OPPN TO SCALE UP OFFENSIVE
The Opposition, which was already gunning for Virbhadra Singh over corruption charges, has scaled up offensive after the Kotkhai case, which compelled the government to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case. The BJP criticised CM Virbhadra Singh’s office as pictures of the four suspects were uploaded on the CM’s official Facebook page and later deleted. Interestingly, those four suspects did not figure among the six accused held by the police.
So far, the CM office has been tightlipped on the Facebook goof-up. Also, the custodial death of accused Nepalese Suraj in Kotkhai police station added fuel to the fire, leading to locals burning the police station and torching three police vehicles.
MAY PUSH FOR DEBATE ON LAW AND ORDER
The opposition party also revealed that it is likely to move a motion seeking debate on law and order in the state, since Virbhadra Singh himself holds the home portfolio. With a few months left for the elections, the opposition party will try and draw public attention towards contentious issues.
BJP leader and former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal said ,“The Congress could not deliver what it promised during the last polls. Poor governance and deteriorating law and order situation have been the highlights of the present government. Of course, finances of state are also in a bad shape as the debt trap has increased to over Rs 50,000 crore.”
Meanwhile, the Congress government, during its tenure since five years, has taken a loan of Rs 14,500 crore of which, Rs 6,500 was spent on repaying old loans, while the remaining amount (Rs 8,000 crore) was spent on salaries of employees and other development works.
CONG READIES FOR COUNTER-ATTACK
On the other hand, the ruling Congress, grappling with infighting, has also readied itself to counter the opposition’s attack. “Congress legislators will meet the CM’s official residence to decide on its strategy,” said parliamentary affairs minister Mukesh Agnihotri.
To counter BJP inside the House, Congress is said to have asked the home department for crime records pertaining to previous Dhumal government’s regime. It will also highlight the achievements of Virbhadra-led government.
Meanwhile, the Congress government in the state has often accused Prime Minister Narendera Modi-led central government of discriminating the state while allotting funds for development in the state.