Health and Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur claimed in the Vidhan Sabha that the BJP had no locus standi to accuse the Congress over the reversal of its decisions. Thakur alleged that this practice was started by the previous Dhumal led Govt and had closed hundreds of schools and also withdrew the notification of medical college at Mandi.
Minister claimed that the Congress leaders managed to get an ESIC medical college sanctioned from the Centre at an estimated cost of over Rs 700 crore. He said that in a short time of three months, Congress Govt had already reopened 149 schools closed down by the previous government under its rationalisation scheme.
He blamed the previous BJP government for putting the state on sale. He alleged that in the first three years of its tenure it gave permission to outsiders under Section 118 of the Land Reforms and Tenancy Act to purchase over one lakh hectare of land.
Kaul Singh Thakur said that the Congress government was not indulging in any vendetta and it was only implementing the promises it made during the election. He said that Congress has cancelled the land leased out to the Patanjali Yogpeeth in accordance with law.
However, Senior BJP leader Ravinder Ravi hit back at the Congress and claimed that Congress Govt wasn’t doing anything on the ground while its ministers were trying to outdo each other in making announcements. He alleged that the Congress leaders created hurdles in setting up the IIT, Central University and ESIC medical college. Ravi, who was IPH minister in previous Govt cleared that no government land was given to private universities during his party’s tenure. He claimed that four private universities purchased land from HIMUDA and 10 others purchased land from private parties.
Jubbal-Kotkhai Congress legislature Rohit Thakur blamed the previous BJP government to fail to complete the Theog-Hatkoti road widening project as a result of which residents of the area, particularly the apple growers, suffered significantly.
Rikhi Ram Kaundal, Mansa Ram, Rakesh Kalia, Sanjay Rattan, Rajiv Saijal, Vikarm Singh and KL Thakur also participated in the debate.
