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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Himachal Pradesh government, alleging widespread corruption and administrative irregularities, and demanded a High Court-monitored probe into the alleged 'Chester Hill' land issue.
The opposition party has also announced a protest across all 68 Assembly segments in the state to expose the corrupt and anti-people policies of the state government. Addressing mediapersons here, and later speaking to ANI, BJP chief spokesperson and MLA Randhir Sharma accused the Congress-led state government of being 'neck-deep in corruption' and questioned the silence of the Chief Minister on serious allegations. "The Chester Hill land case in Solan has raised serious questions over the credibility of the administrative machinery. We demand that the matter, along with all corruption allegations, be probed by a sitting High Court judge so that the truth comes out," Sharma said. He termed it "unprecedented" that a serving senior bureaucrat had to address the media to defend himself. "When officials themselves come forward to give clarifications while the government remains silent, it indicates that not just something, but everything is wrong," he remarked. Sharma further alleged that by naming several former and serving senior officials during the press briefing, the issue has triggered public concern about whether corruption at higher levels is being protected. "Instead of taking action, the government is shielding tainted officials and even granting them extensions," he claimed. Taking a swipe at the Chief Minister's Office, Sharma said it had "become a hub of commission culture rather than a centre of governance," alleging that payments to contractors were being made based on "setting and commissions". The BJP leader also targeted the government over the recently introduced entry tax, alleging that the Chief Minister had misled the Assembly. "On one hand, a statement was made in the Assembly, and on the same day, a notification implemented something entirely different. Imposing 100 entry tax on five-seater vehicles is a direct burden on the common man," Sharma said. He claimed that confusion prevailed at state borders on April 1, with different rates being charged at different points, leading to chaos among transporters and the public. "This decision will increase the burden on traders, taxi operators and transporters, fuel inflation and adversely impact the tourism sector," he added. Alleging manipulation in the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections, Sharma accused the government of attempting to delay the polls and tamper with reservation rosters. "The government issued a backdated notification allowing deputy commissioners to make up to 5% changes in the roster. This is not a minor adjustment but a gateway to altering the entire sequence, violating constitutional provisions," he said. He further alleged that the move could lead to legal disputes and eventual postponement of elections. "The government fears defeat and is trying to create conditions to delay the polls," he added. Raising concerns over the state's financial health, Sharma termed the recent budget as "directionless," alleging a decline in development expenditure and a rising debt burden. "Despite increasing taxes, revenue is not growing as expected. The slogan of a self-reliant Himachal remains confined to paper, while the state is heading towards an economic crisis," he said. Announcing a statewide agitation, Sharma said the BJP would hold protests from April 8 to April 11 across all 68 Assembly constituencies under the leadership of the state party president. "The BJP will continue to fight from the streets to the Assembly to expose corruption, authoritarianism and anti-people decisions of this government," he said. (ANI)
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