Himachal CM asks Tourism Minister to step down

Shimla, July 29: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh asked state Transport and Tourism Minister G S Bali to step down from the State Cabinet following his presence in an ''indecent party'' where scantily clad girls danced to the tunes of popular Hindi film songs.

''I have asked Mr Bali to tender his resignation from the state Cabinet following a sting operation by a private news channel in which he was shown taking part in an indecent party at Dharamshala on Thursday night,'' he told the sources here.

Mr Singh said the minister's resignation was likely to reach him by early morning today following his telephonic conversation with him over the issue.

Besides, the Minister himself has expressed his willingness to step down on moral grounds following the airing of the video of the party, he said.

He said keeping in view of the high moral principles of the party and widespread condemnation from far and wide, the party decided to seek state Transport and Tourism Minister's resignation from the ministry.

''I had myself visited the minister's house in Nagrota Bhagwan in Kangra district to wish him on his birthday on Thursday and had returned after eating the cake,'' he said.

However, the Chief Minister expressed his anguish with the channel over the lopsided presentation of the programme, saying the part of the video containing the Minister's family and several other families present on the occasion was not shown to the public.

He also contradicted the channel's claim that electricity, cable and telephone connections in the entire district and several other areas of the state were snapped to prevent people from seeing the telecast of the programme.

''I can say with authority that nothing of that sort has happened.

As far as power and telephone lines are concerned, no disruptions have been reported from anywhere in the state,'' he asserted.

Today's airing of the video could not have come at a worse time for the Congress party and the Chief Minister, who along with his wife is already facing serious charges of corruption following the release of an audio CD by former party leader Vijai Singh Mankotia.

UNI