BJP leader demands CBI probe in its chargesheet

Shimla, Mar 14 (UNI) Former Himachal Pradesh Minister and senior BJP leader Ravinder Singh Ravi today demanded a CBI inquiry into the chargesheet submitted by the BJP against the state government recently.

Participating in the discussion on the budget proposals for 2007-2008 in the Assembly, he thanked the government for handing over the BJP chargesheet to the Lokayukta for inquiry, but added that the BJP wanted a CBI probe into it.

Alleging that corruption was at its peak during the present Congress government, Mr Ravi said CPMT paper leak, Thind episode and government officials accepting bribes for various clearances in the PWD department, and many other such cases have been live examples of the level of corruption in this government.

He said religious conversions were taking place in the state despite an Act that provided for strict punishment to people luring people to convert to other religions.

Referring to a case in Palampur in Kangra district, he said the state police was forced to let off people involved in conversions after directions from the district commissioner who was approached by some influential people in New Delhi.

The BJP leader accused the state government of failing to undertake balanced development in the state and said it had contributed more in dividing the state.

The state government had not taken any initiative on checking the prices of essential commodities and the only step announced by the state government was not going to work.

Mr Ravi held the Chief Minister responsible for the financial mess in the state by presenting wrong figures of losses before the ninth Finance Commission in late eighties and said state's losses have always increased under the Congress Government.

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