Congres claims of development false, says Shanta

Una, Feb 3 (UNI) Former Union Minister Shanta Kumar today rubbished Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's claim of all round development of the state during the last four years, and charged him with misleading the people on the issue.

''When I was the Chief Minister in 1977, I had undertaken a massive drive to provide drinking water to remote habitations of the state and the present Irrigation and Public Health Department was carved by my government,'' he said, while addressing a rally here.

Taking a dig at the UPA Government at the Centre, Mr Kumar said it was a corrupt government which is trying to woo the minority community for petty political gains at the expense of national security.

Referring to the appeals of clemency for Afzal Guru, the mastermind of the attack on Parliament, he said the Congressmen had stooped so low that they were willing to compromise on terrorism and national security for political gains.

Expressing concern over the rising prices of essential commodities, he said all this was happening while the Prime Minister of the country was a renowned economist.

As a former Union Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs, he was aware that the prices of essential commodities was directly under the control of the government, he added.

Accusing the Centre of failing to control the prices of essential commodities, he asked,'' why is the price of wheat rising despite a bumper harvest last year.'' Addressing the rally on the occasion, former chief minister P K Dhumal dared the Chief Minister for a debate on development in the state during the respective state governments tenure.

He said the Virbhadra Singh Government had discriminated the lower districts of the state in development, while substantiating his allegations with figures that out of 45 recent appointments of dental surgeons in the state, 22 belonged to Shimla district, three from Kangra, two from Hamirpur and one each from Solan and Sirmour.

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