CM also addresses Chamba disaster relief and Kangana Ranaut's remarks on NEET aspirants.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has launched a strong attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party over the social media buzz and questions being raised about him being the richest Chief Minister. The Chief Minister said that a deliberate conspiracy is being hatched to tarnish his image on social media and political platforms. He clarified that the details of his assets in his election affidavit have remained transparent and unchanged for the past 20 years. While clarifying his position on assets, he also sharply targeted the opposition's statements.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that nearly 20 years ago, he had purchased a plot in Shimla for Rs 12 lakh, on which a house was later built. He said it is natural for the market value of a property to increase over time, but the BJP is misrepresenting this to politically project him as one of the richest Chief Ministers in North India.
The Chief Minister issued a challenge, saying, "If anyone has any doubts about my assets, let the ED and CBI investigate. My assets have already been investigated before. Since becoming Chief Minister, there has been no increase in any of my assets — in fact, they have decreased, which will be clearly visible in the upcoming election affidavit. A person from an ordinary family can also build assets through hard work and honesty."
On the opposition's statements regarding the buying and selling of MLAs and defection, the Chief Minister said firmly that the Congress stands on the strength of loyal leaders committed to its ideology. He said that if someone wants to be "sold" in the political marketplace or wants to leave the party, they cannot be stopped.
However, he clarified that while some BJP leaders want to join Congress, there is no question of giving space in Congress to those involved in corruption scandals such as the "donation theft" (Chanda Chori) and "paper leak" cases. He also said that Priyanka Gandhi has clearly stated that the Education Minister should be an educationist who does not play with the future of the youth and does not allow paper leaks to happen.
Speaking on the ongoing natural disaster and monsoon damage in the state, the Chief Minister said he has had detailed discussions with Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania. The extensive damage caused in Chamba and other affected parts of the state has been taken note of. The Chief Minister said he will personally visit Chamba soon to assess the ground-level damage from the disaster and review relief operations.
On the statement made by Mandi BJP MP Kangana Ranaut regarding NEET aspirants on strike, the Chief Minister strongly objected. He said it is completely wrong to make such baseless statements against youth and students who are demanding their rights. He said opposition leaders should approach issues related to the Union Education Minister or student interests with sensitivity, rather than giving them a political spin.
