From the States: Himachal Pradesh

Congress humiliating martyrs: Shanta Kumar
From Our Correspondent

BJP National Vice-President and former Union Minister, Shri Shanta Kumar said it was painful that while some people were thriving in power in UPA in the name of Nehru-Gandhi family although they themselves did nothing during freedom movement, the mother of the great martyr Chandrashekhar Azad who gave his life for freedom of the country was living on alms in her old age.

Shri Shanta Kumar was addressing a large party meeting organised to felicitate him on his nomination as the National Vice-President of the Party. Former Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal and State BJP President, Shri Suresh Bhardwaj, MP, BJP MLAs, former ministers and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Shri Shanta Kumar said that people of the country will not pardon Congress for this sin against the memory of the great martyrs whose sacrifices hastened the pace of grant of freedom the country.

Terming Congress as the mother of corruption, Shri Shanta Kumar said that while Natwar has been removed from the Union Cabinet, the perpetrator of the scam in Iraq's Oil-for-food programme, whose letter to Saddam Hussain helped in granting oil vouchers to Congress and Natwar Singh, continues to stick to her office as Chairperson of National Advisory Council.

He regretted that even after 58 years of Independence, 30 crore people in the country continue to live below the poverty line, thanks only to the neglect of the poor sections of the people by successive Congress governments.

Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that although BJP had won majority of seats in panchayat and municipal elections in the State, Virbhadra Singh government terrorised elected representatives to impose their nominees in some Zila Parishads and panchayat samitis by misusing official machinery.

Shri Suresh Bhardwaj said it was a matter of pride for Himachal that Shri Shanta Kumar was representing the State at the national level in the party.