"Due to 'Khatakat' politics of Rahul Gandhi": BJP after HC attaches Himachal Bhavan for pending electricity dues

New Delhi: Amid reports of Himachal Pradesh High Court attaching the Himachal Bhawan in Delhi for not paying electricity dues, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said on Tuesday that it is due to the "Khatakhat" politics and economics of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi that the Himachal government has not been able to pay the due amount.
Speaking to ANI, Bhandari said, "This proves that there is only a mess within the 'khatakhat' economy of Rahul Gandhi...Due to Rahul Gandhi's economics, there are no funds within Himachal Pradesh to pay the Chief Secretary. Due to his economics, Himachal Bhawan is about to be auctioned. Due to his 'khatakhat' economics, power charges have gone due to milk cess. Chief Minister was busy finding out who ate his 'samosa."
"Due to this 'khatakhat' economics, the country had reached Fragile Five when there was a Congress Government in power. I would like to tell Rahul Gandhi, to set aside childishness and have some discretion. Due to you, this Himachal Bhawan is about to be auctioned off. Stop fooling people," he added.
Himachal LoP Jairam Thakur said, "The present government has completely destroyed Himachal Pradesh and the way the investment that was going to come in the hydro sector in the name of the new policy and the people who were working in the project, all of them are unhappy with the Himachal Pradesh government and are leaving. Whatever projects we have with the Government of India, whether it is with SJVN, NTPC or NHPC, the agreements that we had made with them in the past, have also been questioned...The loss that Himachal Pradesh has suffered in these 2 years has affected the state a lot...If we see the sequence of decisions in Himachal Pradesh, one after the other, they are a big setback for Himachal Pradesh."
Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday passed an order of attachment of Himachal Bhavan located in Delhi's Mandi House. This was passed after the state government failed to pay the due amount of Rs 64 crores to the Seli Hydroelectric Power Co. Ltd.
The court said in its order that at first when the amount was not deposited by the State, it gave time with the caveat that if needful is not done, interim protection granted to the appellants shall be vacated.
"Thereafter on July 15, the division Bench vacated the interim protection as the amount in question was not deposited by the State. Therefore, as of now, as there is no interim protection in favour of the Respondents-State, obviously, the award has to be implemented more so for the reason that delay in deposit of the award amount by the State entails interest on a daily basis which has to be paid from the public exchequer. Therefore, for the purpose of execution of the award in issue, this Court orders the attachment of Himachal Bhawan, 27-Sikandra Road, Mandi House, New Delhi, and the execution petitioner may take appropriate steps for auction thereof," the court said. (ANI)
"In addition, Principal Secretary (MPP & Power) shall hold a fact-finding enquiry as to on account of the omission of which particular officer(s), the amount has not been deposited as the interest shall be ordered to be personally recovered from the erring Officer(s)/official(s). Needful be positively done within a period of 15 days and a report of the enquiry be placed before the Court on the next date.
The next hearing in the case is listed on December 6.