Virbhadra Singh has no "moral right" to continue as HP CM: BJP

Image
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Sep 26 2015 | 6:02 PM IST
BJP today demanded that Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh resign from his post in the wake of CBI raids in connection with a disproportionate assets case against him even as Congress strongly condemned the action, terming it "inhumane and revengeful".
BJP also targeted Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi over the issue and dared them to get Singh to step down.
Singh has no "moral right" to continue in office, BJP leaders said while terming Congress the "mother of all corruption".
"It is a clear case of corruption. It is evident that he (Singh) misused his position as Union Steel Minister during UPA rule and indulged in corruption, which has been exposed now in this case. He has no moral right to continue," Union Minister JP Nadda said here.
Directing a salvo at Congress, which has attacked the saffron outfit over allegations against BJP ministers, BJP secretary Shrikant Sharma charged that Sonia and Rahul "only talk hollow about corruption, but do not act against its (Congress's) corrupt leaders".
"While Congress is the 'mother of all corruption', Singh is the 'symbol of corruption' who was allowed to flourish by the 'corrupt' Congress," he alleged. "We demand that if he does not resign of his own, the Congress leadership should immediately sack him."
"If there is any morality left in him (Singh), he should resign immediately as chief minister," added Sharma, the in- charge of BJP's Himachal affairs.
Keeping up the tirade, he said "Sonia and Rahul Gandhi only talk hollow about corruption, but they do not act against its corrupt leaders. Congress only does a cover-up of corruption and only shelters the corrupt instead of acting against them."
Sharma also claimed that the Congress government in HP has lost public support and people's confidence on the ground.
Meanwhile, Nadda, who hails from HP, said, "The Congress government in HP has become a den of corruption and the common people are suffering. What more can you expect from a government which is led by a tainted chief minister."
CBI today carried out searches at 11 places in connection with a disproportionate assets case against the HP chief minister.
Terming the action "highly vindictive", senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said it had set a "shocking example of politics stooping to its lowest ebb".
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 26 2015 | 6:02 PM IST

Next Story