BJP demands CM's resignation on moral grounds

Shimla, Oct 28 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh BJP today demanded Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's resignation on moral grounds following state Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) B S Thind's arrest by the CBI at Chandigarh yesterday.

Mr Singh should step down on moral grounds for shielding a corrupt official against whom a non-bailable warrant (NBW) was not executed by his government, former Chief Minister P K Dhumal and state BJP president Suresh Bhardwaj said at simultaneous press conferences here and ad Hamirpur.

They said instead of taking action against Mr Thind who has been accused of cheating, forgery and fraud, the state government allowed him to function as state's ADGP responsible for law and order and CBI.

The state government by shielding the corrupt official was not only misleading the people of Himachal Pradesh but was also encouraging corruption, they said.

Mr Thind should have been sacked immediately after cases were registered against him by the neighbouring states, but the government continued to provide him shelter by not co-operating in executing the arrest warrants against the police officer, they said.

The BJP leaders said the law and order situation of the state could well be gauged from the fact that the person responsible for maintaining peace in the state was himself evading an arrest warrant.

Expressing concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, Mr Dhumal and Mr Bhardwaj said there has been an increase in the number of rape cases and acid attacks ever since the Congress came to Government took over power in the state.

The BJP leaders also lauded the CBI's role in Mr Thind's arrest, saying that the guilty has finally met his Waterloo.

The controversial ADGP was sent to 14-day judicial remand till November 11 by CBI court in Patiala today.

UNI AS JN PA RN1734