MANDI: Taking a sharp dig at the Congress-led sarkar, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has questioned Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s “mysterious silence” over the alleged Rs 1,500 crore Chester Hills scam in Solan.
In a hard-hitting statement issued from Mandi, the former CM didn’t hold back. “The Chief Minister, who can order a CID probe over a missing samosa, is suddenly quiet when it comes to a massive scam worth Rs 1,500 crore,” Thakur remarked, referring to a recent controversy that had made headlines.
Why the delay?
Thakur accused the CM of dodging serious questions with “witty and strange” answers in front of the media. He alleged that the government is trying to pit senior bureaucrats against each other to hide a “secret agenda.”
The BJP leader pointed out several red flags in the Chester Hills project:
Section 118 Violations: A Tehsildar’s investigation twice confirmed that rules under Section 118 (which restricts land purchase by non-agriculturists in HP) were openly flouted.
Bureaucratic Hurdles: Despite local officials (SDO) recommending action, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) sent the file to the State Secretariat instead of stopping the illegal construction.
Jurisdiction Questions: Thakur questioned why the file was moved to the higher-ups when the matter fell strictly under the District Collector’s powers.
Financial Discrepancies
Raising concerns over the funding of the project, Thakur claimed that the individual holding the land title earns less than Rs 8 lakh a year, yet is constructing buildings worth crores.
“The loan installments for this individual are reportedly being paid by a controversial company, which is a direct violation of Himachal’s laws,” Thakur said. He demanded to know who is shielding the developers and why the aam aadmi’s interests are being ignored to benefit a particular firm.
BJP threatens stir
The Leader of Opposition warned that the BJP will not sit idle. He stated that the public is watching how rules are being bent and will give a befitting reply in the upcoming elections.
“The government is using new tactics every day to save face, but this case of corruption will not be suppressed,” Thakur added, signaling a heated political battle ahead over the Solan real estate project.
