BJP misleading people, says Virbhadra

Kangra, Apr 2 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today criticised the BJP for misleading the people on the issue of discrimination with Kangra, saying his government was committed to the overall development of the state.

''Since the BJP has no political, social or economic agenda, it was raking up other non-issues to divert the peoples' attention from their internal dissensions,'' he said at a press conference here.

Mr Singh said his government was committed for the overall development of the state without bias and the BJP's charges of discrimination with Kangra were only to mislead the people.

The BJP, which was a faction-ridden party in the state and at the central level, was raising this bogey of discrimination with Kangra only to mislead the people and turn their attention from their internal dissensions, he said.

BJP's senior leader Sahib Singh Verma during his visit to the state recently had also acknowledged that the state unit was a faction ridden, he said.

Observing that the state had seen accelerated development in the last three years, Mr Singh said his government had fulfilled majority of the promises made in its election manifesto, while the remaining few would be fulfilled soon.

This year's Budget, presented in the state Assembly, would help in providing relief to the below poverty line (BPL) people and the destitute women, as several schemes had been announced that would benefit them , the Chief Minister said.

Without naming senior Congress leader and former tourism minister Vijai Singh Mankotia, Mr Singh said people who have documents proving corruption in the state government should make it public.

He promised strict action against any government official or employee involved in corruption, saying no one involved in corruption would be spared.

UNI XC AS DP MA PC1958