Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday categorically rejected allegations that the state government was planning to sell Peterhoff or any other government property, asserting that there was no question of disposing of public assets. Taking a swipe at Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur and other BJP leaders, Sukhu questioned the Opposition’s repeated remarks on the issue and challenged them to raise their concerns through meaningful discussions in the Legislative Assembly.
Speaking to the media at the State Secretariat complex, the Chief Minister clarified that the government had no intention of selling Peterhoff. Instead, it was planning to expand the historic property by constructing a larger facility with a capacity of at least 100 rooms.
Explaining the need for expansion, Sukhu said the existing Peterhoff was facing problems of water leakage. He also recalled that the original structure had been destroyed in a fire, following which the present building was constructed. The government, he said, was now looking at strengthening and expanding the facility rather than selling it.
“There is no question of selling Peterhoff or any other government property,” the Chief Minister asserted, seeking to put an end to speculation surrounding the future of the historic government property.
In a counterattack against the BJP, Sukhu alleged that the previous BJP government had leased out around 5,000 bighas of land for just Re 1 under the pretext of a customised package. He further alleged that the land had been handed over without proper formal registration, questioning the transparency of the decisions taken during the previous regime.
The Chief Minister said the BJP should come forward for an open discussion on such issues in the Legislative Assembly instead of staging walkouts and avoiding debates. He maintained that the government wanted the Opposition to raise matters of public importance and hold the ruling establishment accountable through legislative proceedings.
Referring to the upcoming winter session, Sukhu said the government had scheduled an extended session to provide sufficient time to the Opposition to raise issues and participate in meaningful discussions. He added that the timing of the session had also been planned keeping the ongoing tourism season in mind.
Taking another dig at Jairam Thakur, the Chief Minister remarked that the Leader of the Opposition appeared to be under considerable pressure. He maintained that the government was ready to face questions and discuss every issue on the floor of the House.
The exchange comes amid an intensifying political confrontation between the Congress government and the BJP, with government assets, land allotments and the functioning of the administration emerging as key points of contention. Sukhu’s remarks also signal that the government intends to turn the debate around government properties into a larger political argument over the decisions taken during the previous BJP regime.
