CD row: Cong,BJP take on each other

Linking the recent release of three audio and video CDs,involving Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and state vigilance chief D S Manhas,to the issue of corruption,the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee has decided to take the matter to the masses by declaring February 1 as ‘Anti-Corruption Day’. Protests against corruption in the government will be held across the state,with the video CD in focus that allegedly shows Shimla MP Virender Kashyap accepting money from two persons to allegedly facilitate a land transfer.

Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur said the audio and video CDs had exposed the rampant corruption prevailing in the government. “Till now,the Congress had been raising voice against the corruption in the government,especially in the opening of private institutions in the state. The CDs have proven it,” he said. He challenged the chief minister to write a letter to the prime minister and get the matter probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

On the other hand,the BJP has taken on the Congress,saying Union Minister for Steel Virbhadra Singh should get an inquiry ordered by the PM into the allegations of phone-tapping levelled by him against the state government about a year ago. “At the very outset,Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had written to the PM to get a high level-inquiry into the allegations of phone-tapping made by Virbhadra Singh. This letter should be made basis for inquiry so that the truth is out,” said party chief Khimi Ram.

After an FIR into the allegations of corruption,based on an audio CD,was registered against him last year,Virbhadra had alleged that the BJP government was tapping his phones. With the fresh audio CDs containing conversation between the CM and Manhas being released,the BJP has turned the tables on the Congress.

“Virbhadra Singh is using the current CD episode for his benefit to escape the inquiry already being done by the state vigilance into the CD featuring him,” said Khimi Ram.

The Congress has,meanwhile,asked the government to register a case into the video CD featuring Virender Kashayp. “There was no complainant in case of the CD that had Virbhadra Singh’s voice,yet a case was registered against him. But when it comes to its own MP,the government is waiting for a complainant,” Kaul Singh told the media on Sunday.