Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today announced to open a Govt. Degree College for Nagrota Surian and sub-tehsil for Kotla area of Jwali assembly constituency.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh made these announcements during the last day of the first leg of winter sojourn at Jawali in Kangra district while addressing a mammoth rally, designated as the ‘Vijay Rally’. This rally was organised to commemorate the ‘Parivartan Rally’ which was held to commence a drive to gain power in the state and to overthrow the BJP led government.

Virbhadra Singh said that

“The proposed Food Security Bill was an ambitious and historical decision of the UPA government which is aimed at providing food security to the most deprived sections of the society across the nation. This bill would be made effective with a fund of Rs.80,000 crores and will be brought in the Parliament during the ongoing Budget Session”,

The Chief Minister said that this bill would help the miserable sections of the society to live with dignity as they would get sufficient food. He said such a campaign was launched by his government during his last regime under which essential food commodities including pulses, edible oils and salt were being distributed to all the people in the state. The popularity of this program could be assessed from the fact that people stopped taking foodgrains from the open market.

Expressing his gratitude to the people of the State and Kangra in particular he said that the massive support of the public made their journey to return in power. He said Himachal was the land of gods and goddesses and had a unique distinction. He said that the people of the State had rejected the previous BJP Government as it failed in all fronts to deliver the goods. Corruption, and nepotism had become order of the day and problems and grievances of the people were ignored by the previous BJP Government. He said that no efforts were made for the development of the people and Benami deals were made to facilitate the persons in the power and their relatives.

Virbhadra Singh said that State Police agencies were directed to get involved in phone tapping, which was a criminal offence adding that CID and Vigilance tapped about 750 telephones of opposition and the opponents in the ruling party. He said that telephone tapping could only be allowed in certain cases with the permission from the Home Ministry adding that his stay in Himachal Bhawan Chandigarh was also put under observation as bugging machine was installed in the room where he used to stay. He said that this move of the previous BJP government surpassed even Hitler secret force Gestapo. No person involved in the process would be spared after completion of enquiry so that such acts were not repeated in the State again.

The Chief Minister said that lands were purchased in the name of two drivers of a leader in Kasouli amounting to about Rs. 50 lakh. He said that his government would look into all such shady matters but would never indulge in revengeful activities. No innocent would be disturbed but no culprit would also be spared at the same time. His government wanted to maintain the high standards of democracy. He urged the people not to indulge in corrupt practices and earn rightfully and no looting of public money would be tolerated at all.

Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri thanked the people for bringing the Congress Party back in power and urged them to reap full advantages of the schemes launched by the State Government for their welfare. He alleged that the previous BJP Government had ignored this area and no development was carried out during the last five years.

Neeraj Bharti, Chief Parliamentary Secretary welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for announcing Sub-Tehsil at Kotla and placed several development demands of his constituency. He said this area was neglected during the last five years, but as now the Government of the people had come into power and every effort would be made to develop it as an ideal constituency.

Chander Kumar, Former Minister also welcomed the Chief Minister. Kewal Singh Pathania Vice-Chairman, HRTC, Former MLAs Choudhary Surender Kaku, Bakshi Ranjit Singh and Bodh Raj including prominent Congress leaders and senior officers of the district administration were also present on the occasion.