BJP's Dhumal, Anurag Thakur involved in land allotment case: Congress

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday accused former Himachal chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and his son Anurag Thakur of being involved in the 2002 Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) land allotment case.

Calling the BJP and its leaders habitual offenders, Ramesh said: "Dhumal and his son Thakur together have misused the public property and the office held by them.

"Blatant constitutional impropriety, patent conflict of interest, glaring misuse of office, usurpation of public property and duping of public exchequer is writ large in their case," he added.

He said that since 2002, Dhumal and his son Thakur, also a BJP leader, misused power "in the name of cricket in Himachal Pradesh".

"They have grabbed the land illegally and it is a matter of conflict of interest. Sixteen acres of land in Dharamsala was given to Himachal Pradesh Cricket association to build a stadium and the state government had to get Rs.94 lakh every year but got a mere Rs.12."

Taking potshots at the Narendra Modi-led BJP government, he said: "BJP and its leaders have become habitual offenders in committing gross constitutional impropriety, misuse of office, conflict of interest and brazen conduct, which is the very anti-thesis of constitutional democracy."

He also questioned Modi and other BJP senior leaders for "arrogant refusal" in affixing responsibility of union Minister Sushma Swaraj, and Chief Ministers Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan adding: "Will he take action now?"