Shimla, Sep 28: Arun Dhumal, son of former Himachal Pradesh chief minister PK Dhumal, today said he would not contest for the upcoming state assembly elections as he was against “dynasty politics”. He said there were already two members (his father and brother Anurag Thakur) of his family in active politics and if he also joined it, it would attract allegations of “dynasty politics”.
“Neither I am interested in joining politics nor do I have any desire to play any political role and as such I will not contest any election…In case the party gives me the ticket, I would return it and say thank you,” Dhumal said.
“I am against dynasty so I have chosen to stay out of the politics,” Dhumal said while releasing audio and video clips of how subsidy to the tune of crores were allegedly siphoned off under the flagship scheme – Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) of the central government. He also demanded a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities.
Releasing the copy of a letter written to Union Agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh, Dhumal said that nearly 30,000 plant material was imported by the Horticulture Department earlier this year for distribution among fruit growers under the subsidy scheme. Each plant costs Rs 500 but 50 per cent subsidy was provided and the plant was made available at Rs 250.
“A random survey done in Rampur area, the home town of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, revealed that farmers, whose named have been shown as beneficiaries, have not got a single plant. Where did all the plants go,” he said alleging that the chief minister was himself the sole beneficiary. “This needs a CBI probe to bring the culprits to the book as the poor farmers have been denied the benefit of imported plants,” Dhumal said.
Source Financial Express
