Bali against CBI enquiry into Shimla violence

Dharamshala, Sep 2 (UNI) Former Himachal Pradesh tourism and transport minister G S Bali today said he was against a CBI enquiry into the clash between the Congress and BJP activists on the last day of the state Assembly at Shimla on Wednesday.

''There is no need for a CBI enquiry into the incident as the BJP has a habit of raising hue and cry even on the smallest incident,'' he told reporters here while inaugurating a factory outlet of Reebok soon after landing here from New Delhi.

Mr Bali denied brutal police baton charge on the BJP activists during the clash, saying their activists, on the other hand, tried to disrupt their rally, which had been organized after due permission from the district administration.

The BJP leadership was to be blamed for the clash, which was the result of instigation of their activists by their senior state leaders, he said, adding had they not acted in this manner, the clash would have been averted.

Replying to a question that the BJP had permission to hold a rally outside the assembly on that day, he said let them come out with the documents.

Besides, proof of any police brutality on their activists should also be brought to the government's notice, Mr Bali, who resigned from the state Cabinet a few months ago following a sting operation by a private news channel, said.

The former minister launched a scathing attack on the BJP, saying a CBI inquiry was necessary, on the other hand, in the construction of Vivekananda Medical Research Trust (VMRT) under the chairmanship of former union minister Shanta Kumar.

Terming the BJP a rudderless and a leaderless organisation, he said its leaders Mr Kumar, former state chief minister P K Dhumal, senior party leader Maheshwar Singh and state party president Jai Ram were trying to divert the peoples' attention for their infighting by raking up minor issues.

He, however, refused to comment on the BSP state president Balwant Singh's offer to depose before the one man committee the names of politicians who were waiting for their entry to participate in his controversial birthday party, which cost him his berth in the state Cabint, saying that the matter was sub-judice and that he had nothing to say on it.

UNI