BJP MP Anurag Thakur today appeared at the office of the State Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau in Dharamsala in connection with a land case along with a group of supporters raising slogans against the state government, drawing sharp criticism from the Congress.
Himachal Pradesh Animal Husbandry Minister Prakash Chowdhary and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Jagjivan Pal criticised Anurag, who is also the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) president, for "creating a scene" and trying "to disrupt law and order" at the Vigilance bureau.
In a statement issued in Shimla, the Congress leaders accused Anurag of adopting fraudulent means by illegally occupying the land under the garb of HPCA during the regime of his father Prem Kumar Dhumal.
Anurag, however, had to return without deposing as the inquiry officer was absent. He has been asked to reappeared before the officer on October 31.
"I cancelled all my engagements to appear before the Vigilance bureau, but the officer failed to remain present. I cannot ignore my programmes time and again so I will not come gain on October 31," Anurag said.
Addressing his supporters, Anurag hit out at Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh accusing him of wreaking politics of vengeance and said "the government is trying to take over the cricket body and it is my challenge to the Chief Minister to do whatever he can and we won't let him fulfil this dream".
The Vigilance bureau claimed they had informed Anurag on October 21 about the change of the date.
"It was a pre-planned strategy of Anurag to gain political mileage by scant regard to rule of law," the statement by Congress leaders alleged.
