Shimla, April 3
The BJP on Friday called for a probe under the supervision of a sitting High Court judge into the Chester Hill case and other related allegations in Himachal Pradesh. The BJP MLA and spokesperson Randhir Sharma Party media in-charge and MLA Randhir Sharma said only an independent judicial inquiry could ensure transparency and fix accountability and announced statewide protests from April 8 to 11 . Addressing a press conference, BJP MLA and spokesperson Randhir Sharma said the ruling Congress was presenting itself as clean and transparent while, according to him, serious allegations of corruption continued to surface within the administration.
He said the Chester Hill land controversy in Solan had raised fresh doubts over the credibility of the state’s governance. Sharma described it as highly unusual that an acting chief secretary had to address the media to defend himself against allegations, while the government remained silent.
According to Sharma, the controversy has widened after references were made to several serving and former senior officials, leading to growing public concern over whether corruption is being protected at the highest levels. He alleged that instead of taking action, the government was rewarding controversial officers with extensions and important postings.
The BJP leader also accused the Chief Minister’s Office of encouraging what he described as a “commission-based system”, claiming that payments to contractors were being influenced by connections and favouritism.
Sharma also criticised the government over the recent entry tax issue, saying the chief minister’s statement in the Assembly was followed by a contradictory notification later the same day. He alleged that the decision to impose entry tax on five-seater vehicles would directly affect ordinary people and claimed confusion was reported at border check posts on 1 April, with different locations allegedly charging different rates.
He said the policy would increase pressure on traders, transporters and taxi operators, while also contributing to inflation and hurting the tourism sector. The BJP also accused the government of attempting to delay Panchayati Raj elections.
Sharma alleged that instead of issuing the reservation roster on time, the government issued a backdated notification allowing deputy commissioners to alter up to 5% of the reservation roster. He argued that even a small change could affect the wider reservation chain and said the move could invite legal and constitutional questions.
He accused the Congress government of creating complications in order to postpone the elections, claiming it feared a political setback in rural areas. Sharma further criticised the state budget, calling it weak in both vision and financial discipline.
He pointed to what he said was a decline in development spending, a rising debt burden of over ₹1 lakh crore, a widening fiscal deficit and weak revenue growth despite higher taxation. According to him, the government’s claim of building a “self-reliant Himachal” was not matched by the state’s economic reality.
Sharma said the BJP would continue its campaign “from the streets to the Assembly” against what it described as corruption, administrative arbitrariness and anti-people decisions by the Congress government.
