Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh yesterday condemned the alleged act of sedition by a village head and another person in the border district of Lahaul and Spiti and alleged that it was done at the behest of few disgruntled politicians.
On August 25, the village pradhan and a former village functionary were arrested on the charges of sedition after they allegedly threatened to seek China's help for development of the region.
Expressing resentment over “lack” of development in the remote tribal areas, the two had allegedly threatened to seek help from China if the government “remained indifferent to their demands”.
Yesterday, Singh expressed anguish over the episode and said it was done by a “few disgruntled politicians, who were hand in glove with one or two media person and prompted few people of the Panchayats to make anti-national and uncalled for utterances.”
Singh said, “There is no dearth of funds for the development of the tribal areas of the state and I condemn the action of such people who highlighted this issue and fuelled it, which is a clear act of treason against the nation.”
“Appropriate action will be taken against those who prompted, instigated and highlighted the issue,” the Chief Minister said.
Referring to the area, he said that Pin valley, which was on the left bank of Spiti River was well connected with roads and bridges.
“A steel bridge at Atargu on the Spiti river connects the Pin valley to the main highway and the government had constructed roads up to Mudh, the last village of the valley,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that due to flood in one of the seasonal Kiri nullah, between Atargu and Gulling, a small bridge was washed away which will be soon reconstructed and the work on it will start in a day or two, as the tender had already been awarded.
Besides this bridge, which will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1.63 lakh, a foot bridge and a ropeway had been set up to transport the pea crop, which was the only crop cultivated by the people of the valley.
