Two Himachal ministers take on Dhumal on threatening employees

Shimla, Jun 11 (UNI) Two Cabinet ministers in the Himachal Pradesh Government today criticised former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal for issuing threats to the state government employees.

Mr Dhumal's threat to state government employees on the pretext of being partisan and followed by dire consequences were condemnable, state Revenue Minister Sat Mahajan and Irrigation and Public Health Minister Kual Singh Thakur said in a joint release here.

They said the BJP leader should refrain from issuing such statements to the employees who were largely fair and upright in their conduct and functioning, adding that this also affected their morale.

Terming Mr Dhumal's threat as politically motivated and malicious, the ministers said he was trying to demoralise them by resorting to such tactics and would give a befitting reply to the BJP.

They said it seems that a single victory in the Hamirpur Parliamentary elections has gone to his head and was as such making such arrogant and undignified remarks.

''This euphoria will not last long and the party will face the reality when it loses the next assembly elections in February 2008,'' Mr Mahajan and Mr Thakur said.

Referring to his statement that administrative reshuffle was following the defeat of the Congress candidate in the parliamentary elections, they said transfer was a routine matter and nothing much should be read into it.

There was no reason for Mr Dhumal should make a hue and cry over the transfers, they added.

UNI