Shimla, Mar 27: Claiming that people in Himachal Pradesh had given Congress a mandate to root out corruption, Chief Minister V B Singh today said all cases during the previous Dhumal government's tenure would be probed and the guilty, however influential, would not be spared. Replying to the debate on motion of thanks on Governor's address, he said the people had given Congress a mandate for rooting out corruption and the government would carry it out with “undiminished intensity”. A probe would be ordered on the chargesheet submitted by Congress while in opposition in 2000 and the corruption charges levelled by four former BJP ministers and three MLAs against their own government. The chief minister said there would be no witch hunting and government machinery would not be used for victimising political opponents as was done by BJP government but no one guilty, however influential, would be spared.

Singh said Congress had raised the corruption issue in August 2000 which got support with Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh levelling charges against P K Dhumal.

Bureau Report