Congress leaders and Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Vinay Kumar and Nand Lal, today demanded resignation of Prem Kumar Dhumal as leader of Opposition for his alleged involvement in HPCA scam involving demolition of residential quarters meant for teachers on the local Government College land at Dharamshala and encroaching the same for construction of the Stadium by Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA).
In a joint statement they said that the then Deputy Commissioner of Kangra, K.K. Pant has reportedly revealed to the vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), that the a two-storey building comprising residential quarters of faculty of Government College was razed to ground on the direction of Prem Kumar Dhumal, the then Chief Minister, and later the land was encroached upon by HPCA, which is a serious crime.
They said that the building was demolished without following any norms merely on direction of Prem Kumar Dhumal, who should now admit his involvement and resign form the BJP party leadership. They said that Dhumals have committed serious crimes, cheated the people of the State and now were shouting at top of their voice to hide their wrongdoings.
CPS said that a letter reportedly written by the then Deputy Commissioner, Pant on 24th May, 2008 to Deputy Director, Higher Education contains the reference of direct involvement of Prem Kumar Dhumal in his alleged involvement of encroachment of Government land.
They alleged that in 2008 when BJP came to power, Prem Kumar Dhumal got declared the building unsafe, though, as per findings of the investigating agencies in the HPCA case, the building was renovated a year before.
They said it was done to oblige his son Anurag Thakur, President HPCA. They said that Dhumal Government went out of the way to give precious government land worth crores at five places to Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association.
They asked Dhumals that there is no need of raising hue and cry to hide their misdeeds they have committed. CPSs accused that BJP leaders were actively involved in land scams when in power. They have left no stone unturned to sell the land of Himachalis to outsiders. Now, when the congress charge-sheet revealed their misdemeanor and acts of omissions and commissions they have committed, they are raising unnecessary hue and cry to divert attention of people.
The congress charge-sheet, they said, contained serious charges of corruption against Dhumal and their ministers and land scams against P.K. Dhumal, his family members, ministers, others and high profile cases of land deals and change of land use involving HPCA’s hotel, Bemloe construction, Annandale area etc have come to the fore. They asserted that it is high time now and Prem Kumar Dhumal should resign on moral grounds. Referring to Dhumal, the Chief Parliamentary Secretaries said that there was imminent involvement of P.K. Dhumal and his family in Bemloe construction project at Shimla. Dhumal Government got the project approved overnight and released Rs. 32 lakh for construction of forest road connecting Bemloe colony on application filed in the name of dead people. A large number of trees were felled for the Project.
They said that serious irregularities have been committed in all these cases, which were in advanced stage of investigation and fearing the same the Dhumals are crying hoarse to hide their misdeeds. They (Dhumal and his sons) were resorting to pressure building tactics and political gimmicks.
