Congress stands with Virbhadra, forest minister resists NCST probe bid

DHARAMSHALA: Congress leaders from Gaddi community have finally come to defend Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who has kicked up a storm in Himachal politics after making demeaning community remarks. It was the forest minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri who along with his supporters staged a protest against National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST) on Friday night.
The minister was alleging that inquiry into the police lathi-charge on Gaddi community people is politically motivated.Reacting over the same, NCST chairman Nand Kumar Sai who is leading the team to collect the facts of the incident said that Bharmouri has not taken any appointment to meet and he came at odd hours.
Commission has reached here on Friday to probe into the sequence of events that led to police cane-charging the Gaddi members, who were protesting against the chief minister on August 9. Nine people were injured in the lathi-charge.
Bharmouri, who also belongs to the Gaddi community, paid an unplanned visit at Circuit House, where the team is staying, and sought to meet the NCST chairman Nand Kumar Sai and members.
The commission chairman, however, refused to meet the minister after which Bharmouri and people who had come with him started raising slogans against the NCST outside circuit house. Incident has happened between 8.30 PM to 9.00 PM.
“BJP has hijacked the commission. The inquiry is politically motivated and biased,” said Bharmouri alleging that Commission refused to meet him despite prior appointment. He said that on August 9 protesters misbehaved cops after which police used mild force to control them.
Bharmouri also hit at former BJP minister Kishan Kapoor for politicizing the issue. NCST Chairman Nand Kumar Sai flayed Bharmouri for his behavior and addressed a press conference on this issue.
Sai said that the minister had not sought prior appointment and came at odd hours. “Minister should have followed the procedure. He did inform us or seek appointment. We don’t refuse to meet anyone,” said Sai.
He said that NCST visit is not politically motivated. “NCST is a constitutional and judicial body and its aim is to protect interest of Schedule Tribes (ST),” said Sai.
He said that he held a meeting with Himachal Director General of Police, Kangra Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent (SP) to inquire about the August 9 incident. Police has alleged that some protesters misbehaved with cops forcing the police to resort to lathi charge. “But no such incident of protesters misbehaving with cops is recorded in the video,” he added. The NCST chairman said they have recorded the statement of both side and action will be taken after analyzing the evidences.