Dharamsala: Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh yesterday alleged that the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) was given undue favours by the previous BJP government, and plots of land worth crores of rupees were leased out to it for a period of 100 years for a token amount of Re 1.
The BJP government, led by HPCA president Anurag Thakur's father P K Dhumal, also allowed cutting of trees in large numbers and demolition of a residential complex to facilitate building of a stadium and other structure, Singh alleged.
"The HPCA was later converted into a company and the Dhumal family was governing it as a private property, which was not tolerable," the Chief Minister said at a rally at Nurpur in Kangra district on the first day of the second leg of his winter tour to the region.
He also expressed concern over the media trial on charges being levelled against him by the BJP, and said the opposition party had launched a malicious propaganda against him to divert the attention of the people from its misdeeds which were being probed by the investigating agencies.
Singh said he would "not succumb to any pressure and my humility should not be taken as his weakness". Challenging the BJP to approach the Lokayukta against him, he said, "BJP leaders were feeling the heat of the on-going inquiries and had launched a vicious campaign against me as they considered me the biggest threat for their political survival."
After inaugurating a CT Scan centre at the Civil Hospital in Nurpur set up at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore, Singh said the state government was committed to provide best health care to the people and efforts were being made to strengthen all health institutes besides deploying adequate doctors and para-medical staff.
Earlier, the Chief minister inaugurated a combined office building at Nurpur, built at a cost of Rs 468.29 lakh. This building will house 19 offices benefiting the people of the area in getting various services under one roof.
The CM announced to upgrade government high schools at Kherian, Kot Plahri and Jaunta as senior secondary schools; government middle school at Bhugnara as high school; and primary schools at Thora, Cheer and Gurchal as government middle school.
He also announced assistance for the repair work of the old school being run in the fort. He said a new college building would be constructed at Nurpur and after shifting the college to the new building the school being run in the fort would be shifted to the present college building.
