Himachal BJP releases Congress's charge sheet

Shimla, May 17 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday released documents it said were the Congress's unreleased "charge sheet" against the state's top leaders, including Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. The Congress denied the papers were "original".

The Congress, however, said it has already submitted the documents to its party high command in New Delhi for submission to President Pratibha Patil.

Releasing the documents here, state BJP chief Satpal Satti said the charges against all ministers, including Dhumal, were baseless and not corroborated by evidences.

Congress legislator G.S. Bali, who finalised the "charge sheet", told reporters that the documents released by the BJP "do not seem to be the original ones".

"It's not a signed one. Our charge sheet is quite comprehensive and supported by documents, affidavits and documentary proof collected from various sources, including information extracted through RTI (Right to Information)," Bali said.

The documents, released by the BJP and purported to be Congress charge sheet, include cases of irregularities and acts of omission and commission during the over four years of the BJP rule and glaring cases of violation of section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act.

It has also mentioned violation of land laws by granting permission to Team Anna member and lawyer Prashant Bhushan to purchase a huge chunk of land in Palampur in Kangra district. The land was meant for a tea estate.

The unsigned, loose documents slammed the state government for allowing a private builder to construct an ultra-luxurious housing project in Shimla and allowing private companies to set up eco-tourism projects on prime forest lands.