HP delegation visits China despite Centre's refusal: Dhumal

Shimla, June 11 (UNI) Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today accused the government of violating codes and widespread corruption, saying that a delegation from the state visited China recently without the Centre's permission.

Addressing mediapersons here, he said state Horticulture Minister visited China even though the tour had not been cleared by the Centre, which was now contemplating action against the delegation members.

Mr Dhumal apprehended action against those senior administrative officers who were part of the delegation that visited Beijing and said they were likely to be sacrificed instead of the Horticulture Minister.

''While action will be taken against the officers, no action will be initiated against the Minister,'' he said.

He sought information from the state government on the action taken by it against the Minister for travelling to a foreign countrywithout the Centre's permission.

State Agriculture Minister Raj Kishan Gaur who was a part of that delegation did not go ahead with the tour after the Centre's refusal, he said.

Referring to the rising prices of essential commodities, he alleged that Himachal Government had not provided a single paise for distributing cheap rations to the people through fair price shops though it announced Rs 100 crore food subsidy in its budget speech.

On the other hand, the pulses being sold by these shops were not only sub-standard but were also costlier than the one available in the open market, he added.

Several people haD fallen ill after eating Malka Dal, in particularAND the government was only playing with the sentiments of the people instead of providing them any reliefMr Dhumal said.

Replying to the Chief Minister's statement that the BJP had played the regional card in the Hamirpur Parliamentary elections, he said Mr Singh was a ''Godfather'' of regional politics and the results of Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) was a live example of that.

The BJP had not played any card and its victory was the peoples' mandate against the state Congress government's misrule and widespread corruption during the last four years, he added.

UNI