Shimla/New Delhi, December 31
Under attack from the BJP over corruption allegations, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was on Tuesday asked by the Congress high command to explain his position.
The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, led by its president Anurag Thakur, held a protest outside the residence of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi demanding Virbhadra’s resignation. Virbhadra Singh - who was to celebrate the New Year at his residence, Holly Lodge - arrived in Shimla from Dharamsala and straightaway headed to Delhi.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by his son Vikramaditya and ministers GS Bali, Sudhir Sharma and Mukesh Agnihotri.
Virbhadra is likely to meet AICC chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul tomorrow and place all facts before them. Sources said the Chief Minister is carrying with him some documents pertaining to the allotment, cancellation and extensions given to the Sai Kothi project in Chamba being executed by Venture Energy and Technology Pvt Ltd. It’s the same firm whose owner, Vakamullah Chandrashekhar, has given a loan of about Rs seven crore to Virbhadra and his MP wife Pratibha Singh.
In a press conference in Delhi on Monday, BJP leader Arun Jaitley had alleged that undue favours were given to the firm by the state government and
Virbahdra’s wife and his two children had shares in it. Virbhadra has clarified that the loan deal and the investment in shares of the firm were absolutely legal. “The loan payments have been received through cheques and the repayment too being done through cheques. There is no question of hiding anything,” he said.
The Chief Minister said there was nothing illegal in an investment made in shares of the power firm by his wife and children. He said it was the BJP that had allotted the project to the company and it was the Congress government which had now cancelled it as the company had failed to meet the deadline to execute the project.
Virbhadra said he was being politically targeted as the BJP feared his popularity in Himachal. “I will fight the allegations, both politically and legally, and not allow anyone to tarnish my image,” he said.
In Delhi, the police used water cannons to disperse BJYM activists who were protesting in front of Rahul’s residence seeking Virbhadra’s resignation. A large number of BJYM activists carrying placards shouted slogans against the Congress and tried to break the barricades put up to stop the protesters.
