Jai Ram Thakur alleges Himachal government closing Horticulture College, minister denies

Shimla: Leader of Opposition in Himachal Pradesh Assembly Jai Ram Thakur on Friday raised the issue of Horticulture College opened at Thunag in his Vidhan Sabha constituency and alleged the government was trying to close or shift the college.

Thakur said 205 bighas of land was identified for the college but the government was trying to close the college and transferring the teachers. It has resulted in migration of students, he said, and demanded immediate awarding of tender for starting the construction work.

Replying to the question, Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi said only two blocks can be constructed on the identified land and construction of hostels and other blocks was not feasible. This fact has been mentioned in the report of the consultant, he added.

Taking jibes at the former chief minister, Negi said he constructed 16 helipads and huge rest houses with 28 rooms but did not make efforts to bring the project on the ground. Opening the colleges in these rest houses can be considered and he would discuss the matter with the chief minister, he said.

Asserting that the college would not be closed, the minister said it would be constructed at the appropriate location. Rs 300 crore would be spent in the college and construction would start immediately if Thakur could get Rs 300 crore from the Centre, he said.

Thakur said he has discussed the matter with the chief minister and he has asked the horticulture minister to identify suitable land and a provision of Rs 10 crore was made.

Intervening in the reply, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged the leader of the opposition to accompany him for getting funds from the Centre and the state government would expedite the works.

He also raised the issue of Atal Medical University and said it was set up on the land which was not in the name of the government and the government has lost the case in the high court and the Supreme Court, and a liability of Rs 1,000 crore has come up.

Thakur wanted to seek some more information but the Speaker called for the next question and BJP members, barring Anil Sharma, started raising slogans and walked out.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan said it was not a walkout but protest and said on Thursday also, two BJP members were present in the House but it was reported in the media that the entire party staged a walkout.

"It was not a complete walk out by the Bhartiya Janata Party. It was a partial walk out and they are making an issue out of non-issue" he added.

The Speaker said he was taking note of it.

"Yesterday as well as today, it was not a walk out but a protest and newspapers should take a note of it while reporting these walk outs," he said.