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Stick to your achievements, BJP chief to Cong
Shimla, March 15
BJP chief Jai Ram Thakur today said rather than being obsessed with the letter written by some BJP leaders during the Dhumal regime, the Congress should talk about its own accomplishments in its four-year rule.

No evidence of forced conversion: CM
Shimla, March 15
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh informed the assembly today that no evidence of forced conversion and marriage had so far been found in the case of abduction and rape of a girl from Nalagarh.

CM remarks against Sikh MLA spark row
Kumarhatti, March 15
The Himachal unit of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (Badal) has taken serious note of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s objectionable remarks against Nalagarh BJP MLA Sardar H.N. Saini.


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Stick to your achievements, BJP chief to Cong
Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 15
BJP chief Jai Ram Thakur today said rather than being obsessed with the letter written by some BJP leaders during the Dhumal regime, the Congress should talk about its own accomplishments in its four-year rule.

Participating in the debate on budget proposal for 2007-08, he said the Congress was answerable to the people of the state as the elections were due within a year. “I would advice the Congress to stop talking about BJP’s past and focus on its present,” he said.

Talking about the charge sheet issued by the BJP, he said the party had communicated to the Governor that in case the probe was handed over to the CBI, the party would provide all proofs and documents. He said all issues that had been raised by the BJP members in the House would be raised during the elections for which the Congress would be answerable.

He said it was not important as to many how many years one had remained the Chief Minister of the state, what mattered was the contribution made during one’s tenure. “BJP Chief Ministers Shanta Kumar and P.K. Dhumal are remembered for their contribution in providing drinking water and road network,” he said. He said the Congress was responsible for pushing the state into a debt trap.

However, BJP members got agitated and raised slogans when Thakur’s request for more time to the deputy speaker was not accepted. They left the House raising slogans, but returned after some time.

Earlier, IPH minister Kaul Singh Thakur accused the BJP of raising the bogey of regionalism. He said the Congress government was committed to undertake uniform and balanced development of the state. He said the BJP had no right to talk about corruption as during their rule, their ministers and MLAs had accused their own government of regional discrimination.

He read out the letter written by them to Dhumal. He said the charge sheet issued by the BJP was a bundle of lies.

He said the election manifesto of the Congress had been adopted as a policy document and all promises would be fulfilled.

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No evidence of forced conversion: CM
Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 15
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh informed the assembly today that no evidence of forced conversion and marriage had so far been found in the case of abduction and rape of a girl from Nalagarh.

The issue of forced conversion and 'nikah' of a girl abducted from Nalagarh by some Kashmiri youth was raised in the House by the leader of the opposition P.K. Dhumal. He expressed concern at media reports indicating that the girl had been abducted, raped and forced to convert before a nikah was performed.

He said the government must look into the matter and ascertain if there had been forced conversion as it was a matter of grave concern as the H.P. Freedom of Religion Bill, 2006, had been enacted.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said a missing report had been made in Nalagarh police station by the family of a 14-year old girl, a class eight student in a government school there. It was found that the girl had been seen with one Manzoor Ahmed Lone, a resident of Warsun village in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir.

A police team was later sent to Kupwara and the girl along with Mushtaaq Ahmed was brought to Nalagarh. A case has been registered at Nalagarh police station. Mushtaaq had been remanded in police custody while the girl had been handed over to her mother.

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CM remarks against Sikh MLA spark row
Our Correspondent

Kumarhatti, March 15
The Himachal unit of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (Badal) has taken serious note of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s objectionable remarks against Nalagarh BJP MLA Sardar H.N. Saini. Addressing a press conference at Nalagarh today, president of HP SAD Sardar Daljeet Singh Bindar said the CM remarks was an effort to make mockery of the Sikh community.

Virbhadra Singh had made remarks against Saini during the Vidhan Sabha session yesterday.

The CM had no right to play with the sentiments of the Sikhs, Bindar asserted. He should apologise for his comments immediately, he said. The delay in seeking an apology by CM would the SAD to launch a protest, he threatened.

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