Shimla, Nov 19 (IANS): The Himachal Pradesh High Court's order to attach Himachal Bhawan in Delhi over unpaid electricity dues has sparked a political controversy in the state, with the BJP accusing the Sukhu government of "total financial mismanagement."
Leader of Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly Jairam Thakur criticised the state government, saying, "This is the first time in Himachal Pradesh's history that a prime property like Himachal Bhawan, located in the heart of Delhi, is being attached. What were the lawyers doing? Despite having a team of legal experts, they failed to defend the government in court."
He added, "It's been two years, and this situation reflects the government's inability to manage finances. The state's economic condition is worsening every day."
Jairam Thakur also accused the Sukhu government of not taking issues seriously which has resulted in widespread criticism of the state.
He further said that the situation is likely to worsen to the extent that even the secretariat will have to be put on sale.
The present government has "destroyed" Himachal Pradesh and the investment that was to come in the hydro sector is not likely to come anymore, he added.
On Monday, the High Court directed the attachment of Himachal Bhawan after the government failed to clear dues amounting to Rs 64 crore, which have ballooned to Rs 150 crore with interest.
The court also instructed the Principal Secretary of the Power Department to conduct a fact-finding inquiry to identify officials responsible for the lapse.
Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said his government would review the court order before making any further comments.
"The dues stem from a policy formulated in 2006, which I was part of. While some arbitration decisions are puzzling, our government challenged the arbitration in the High Court. We will study the court's order carefully and will then react," he told the media on Tuesday.
The BJP, however, remains firm in its criticism, calling the attachment of Himachal Bhawan a "black mark" on the state's governance.