Dharamshala: Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh evaded a direct response about creation of new districts while interacting with the media here by saying, “in my view new districts and sub-divisions should not be formed just for the sake of vote politics.”
A commission should be formed to look into the requirement so that an appropriate decision could be taken, he said.
New districts, particularly in Kangra district, has been a burning issue over which a section of BJP leaders hold that not acting upon it timely resulted into the party losing support in the politically important district that elects 15 legislators to house of 68 members.
Talking to the media persons at the Vidhan Sabha the chief minister said Congress always gave due importance to Kangra district after re-organisation of Punajb in 1966.
Many important institutions and offices were opened in Kangra during previous Congress governments regime, which included constructing the Vidhan Sabha complex and holding of sessions at Dharamshala.
Equal and balanced development of the state was the priority of our government, he said.
The chief minister rubbished reports about differences in the party over election to the Speakers post.
News items in a section of the press are baseless as it was unanimously decided to propose Brij Behari Lal Butail as the Speaker, said Virbhadra. The deputy Speaker election would be held during the budget session, he added.
Responding to a question about corruption, the Chief Minister said, “an impartial inquiry in corruption cases and irregularities would be conducted to book those who are guilty and are punished as per rule of law. Complaints regarding allotment of land to Swami Ramdev, Prashant Bhushan and others had been received and action would be taken according to the law.”
When pointed out about the surrender of newly elected Conress MLA Ram Kumar before a court at Panchkula earlier today, he said that the legislator should have surrendered earlier and now should cooperate with the police in the investigation.
Earlier the chief minister said that the state government had adopted the Congress election manifesto as the policy document and intended to fulfill the promises made during recently concluded Vidhan Sabha elections.
Referring to discontinuation of air services to Himachal that was affecting tourism, the chief minister said that the matter had been taken up with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and tourism minister to restore air services at the earliest.
About reqularlizing services of temporary teachers employed under Primary Assistant Teachers and Parent Teacher Association schemes, Virbhadra said that the government had constituted a committee headed by the chief secretary for the purpose and they would be regularized soon.
Virbhadra Singh said that previous BJP government had attempted to settle political scores by framing false cases against political opponents and employees.
He said that Sagar Katha and CD cases against him were glaring examples of misuse of power by the previous BJP Government.
