NEW DELHI: With the BJP raking up a scam involving Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, the Congress on Sunday came up with a similar charge against state’s former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and his son and MP Anurag Thakur.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said land allotment to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) during Dhumal’s tenure had caused a loss of Rs 100 crore to the exchequer.
“The land transfer smacks of blatant constitutional impropriety, parent conflict of interest, glaring misuse of office, usurping of public property and duping of public exchequer,” Jairam said.
“I wonder if Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise of acting against corruption will apply retrospectively in this case,” he said. Thakur, presently BCCI secretary, was the HPCA president when the land was given on lease for the stadium.
According to Jairam, the land was given on lease at a measly Rs 1 per month against the state government rule of leasing out at Rs 94 lakh per annum. “This led to a loss of Rs 100 crore to the exchequer. The Chief Minister (Dhumal) approved the decision in the Cabinet on May 27, 2002, undermining the notings of senior government officials,” he alleged.
Thakur reacted strongly to the charge saying the allegations reflect the “bankruptcy” in the Congress. “The Congress is an expert in telling lies. They try to impose baseless and completely false allegations on the BJP leaders,” Thakur said.