Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 1: Alleging abuse of Govt machinery and public exchequer for February 3 Vijaypur rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NPP chairman Harsh Dev Singh today said that the BJP had promoted a new culture of political corruption for which it was answerable to the people of state and the nation.
Talking to the media-persons here today, Singh said that for all practical purposes, the February 3 rally was a political rally organized on the eve of elections. He said that the central BJP leaders including Ram Madhav and Avinash Rai Khanna, who had no role in the Govt, were camping in Jammu and were personally supervising the arrangements for the rally. The two leaders had even publically announced that Modi would launch the election campaign from the Vijaypur rally. And if it was a political rally, how come that several crores of tax papers’ money were being spent for the rally to promote the interests of a particular political party, questioned Singh.
Pointing towards the huge Govt expenditure being incurred on hiring of around 4000 buses and matadors for ferrying people from various parts of the Jammu province to Vijaypur, Singh said that the sectoral officers in various District and Tehsils had been directed to place these vehicles at the disposal of BJP ‘Mandal Pardhans’. “The Govt officers had further been assigned duties to provide refreshment at Govt expense to the participants in the rally. Further, the podium, the Pandal, the water proof tents were being installed at the rally venue at Govt expense with BJP flags being affixed all along the ‘Pandal’ by the Govt functionaries. Not only that the Govt employees were being directed to be present in the rally with threats of dire consequences in the event of their absence,” Harsh dev said.
“Is this the kind of accountability and transparency that the BJP had promised during the last elections? Is this what they call as good governance? Is there none to take cognizance of such brazen authoritarianism and abuse of power and authority? Will the Election Commission of India (ECI) take note of such brazen disregard for rule of law to make a mockery of democracy?” Harsh Dev questioned.
Seeking personal indulgence of president of India and ECI, Singh sought a white paper on Govt expenditure being incurred on the aforesaid political rally of the BJP and fixation of responsibility.
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