Governor's move on Dhumal's prosecution is biased: HPCA

The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) today criticised Governor Urmila Singh for her "hasty" decision to grant sanction to prosecute former Chief Minister P K Dhumal in a case related to the sports body, and said her "action is biased".
"The Governor's action is biased and is a misuse of her constitutional powers. She seems to be in a hurry to please the Congress-led state government by signing the vigilance bureau's file (seeking sanction for prosecution) within 24 hours," HPCA PRO Sanjay Sharma told reporters here.
Dhumal has been accused of misusing his office as Chief Minister to grant approvals for allotment of lands to HPCA headed by his son and BJP MP Anurag Thakur.

Sharma said the decision was to defame Dhumal and his son, who is seeking re-election from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat, ahead of the polls.
He said the decision on Dhumal's prosecution was taken in haste "whereas she (the Governor) has been ignoring BJP's 'charge-sheet' against corrupt Congress leaders submitted to her in August last year".
Sharma said the charges against Dhumal "are nothing but a bundle of lies" and alleged the vigilance file was prepared under the guidance of a retired IPS officer who had worked with incumbent Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh during his tenure at the Centre.
He also alleged that the state election commissioner had been ignoring HPCA's complaint over three re-employed IAS officers working in the Chief Minister's Office.

Sharma said HPCA would again write to the authorities on the issue and send a copy to the Chief Election Commissioner.