Spat with Virbhadra reaches new heights

“I am sorry to say,but Virbhadra Singh is not doing a good service. His role in the development of the state has been a negative and he has been behaving completely irresponsibly. He is painting the state in bad light by his repeated criticism of Himachal Pradesh and issues,which the government had raised with the Centre,” Dhumal told mediapersons here.

Dhumal said most Central ministers,including those who do not belong to Himachal,were sympathetic towards the state and helped whenever their intervention was sought,but only Virbhadra has chosen to act on the contrary.

“What has he (Virbhadra) really done to help the state after becoming a Union minister?” Dhumal asked,especially in the context of industrial package that lapsed three years before the originally proposed period. The state is demanding extension of the package to 2020,” the CM said.

Dhumal ridiculed Singh for claiming that Himachal Pradesh was at the mercy of the Centre for funding. “Is Himachal Pradesh not part of the country? In fact,whatever the state gets from the Centre is its legitimate right and Virbhadra Singh himself should know as a member of Parliament,” he said.

He said,“I can only advise him to maintain dignity of the post he holds and not indulge in undue criticism of the state. He should maintain certain level and grace while making statements about Himachal and the government here.”