Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh assembly on Friday
witnessed noisy scenes over the alleged deteriorating law and
order situation in the state.
State Congress president and MLA Kaul Singh Thakur, who
had given a calling attention motion on attack on Solan zila
parishad chief, alleged that the police force was "misused" to
settle score with the political adversaries.
Thakur gave an example of murderous attack on zila
parishad chief Ram Kumar by Regional Transport Officer and his
men in Solan on March 30.
"It seems there are two sets of laws in operation in the
state -- a liberal one for the ruling BJP men and harsh one
for the Congress men," he alleged.
Congress workers and leaders are being booked and beaten
up on simple pretext while supporters of the ruling BJP have
been given liberty to jam the road or target their adversaries
with impunity, Thakur added.
Supported by leader of the opposition Vidya Stokes, the
state Congress chief demanded a judicial probe into the
attack.
However, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal rejected the
demand and said a probe by the police was on and nobody would
be spared if found guilty.
Dhumal, who also holds the home portfolio, strongly
denied police going soft on the BJP workers.
The CM said the state police were enjoying a free hand in
tackling crimes and there was no political interference in
their functioning.
Preliminary inquiry into the Ram Kumar case has denied
instance of any firing from either side or injury to the zila
parishad chief as claimed by him, Dhumal said.
Earlier, Stokes also castigated the BJP government for
"targeting" Congress workers on political considerations.
BJP legislators Randhir Sharma, Binod Kumari and Govind
Ram strongly contested the allegation.
They alleged that the Solan zila parishad was running a
"goonda raj" in the area and demanded a thorough inquiry into
his acts of omission and commission in the past.
PTI
