Himachal: Minister’s son announced grant to fair committee

Himachal Pradesh: It seems that Solan MLA and Health and Family Welfare Minister DR Shandil has given away his general power to his son, as recently his son was found distributing MLA Local Area Development Fund at a fair held at Salogra near here. The Congress leadership is yet to decide who will be the next candidate for the Assembly elections, but Shandil has set the task for his Colonel son. It seems that the octogenarian Shandil is paving the way for his son to follow in his footsteps. Throwing aside democratic norms, Sanjay Shandil announced a sum of Rs 21,000 to the Mela Committee from the MLA Local Area Development Fund of the Health Minister for the successful organisation of the Salogra Mela. This left the Congress leaders present there surprised, as no one had expected this. The video of the event has gone viral on various social media platforms. Taking objection to the announcement, BJP leader Shailendra Gupta termed it a gross violation of democratic norms and said the Congress was setting a new precedent. “Dr Shandil is also the head of the government’s 20-point programme but he has no interest in convening its meeting while his son is distributing MLA local area development funds, which is surprising,” Gupta said. He said if the minister has given his son “his general power of attorney”, he should ask him to convene a meeting of the crucial 20-point programme so that its functioning is not hampered. The 20-point programme is a monitoring mechanism covering various socio-economic aspects like poverty alleviation, employment, education, housing, health, agriculture, land reforms, irrigation, drinking water, protection and empowerment of weaker sections, consumer protection, environment, e-governance, etc. Gupta alleged that though it was launched in 1975 by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Congress minister has no interest in its successful implementation.