A war of words erupted between the Congress and the BJP as revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi questioned the need for a new law to check paper leaks, stressing the need to fix accountability, while the BJP hit back, saying the Congress should talk about recruitment irregularities and backdoor appointments in the state.
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The revenue, horticulture and tribal development minister, Jagat Singh Negi on Friday questioned the Centre’s move to bring a new anti-paper leak law, arguing that existing legal provisions are sufficient if implemented effectively.
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Speaking to reporters in Shimla, Negi said the real issue was the lack of enforcement rather than the absence of legislation. He alleged that paper leak cases involved transactions worth crores of rupees and said agencies could invoke stringent provisions, including those related to money laundering against the accused.
“The law already exists. The question is why it is not being implemented. In paper leak cases involving crores of rupees, even money laundering provisions can be invoked. The government should explain why existing laws are not being enforced,” Negi said.
“Laws keep getting enacted, but implementation is the real issue. Those responsible should accept moral responsibility instead of merely announcing new legislation,” he said.
Even the Congress MLA and All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Rathore said the Centre was under pressure over the alleged NEET paper leak controversy and asserted that the Prime Minister’s recent statement did not address the core demands of protesting students.
Talking to media in Shimla, Rathore said, “The government’s actions show that it is under pressure. However, the demands for which students are protesting have still not been fulfilled. The PM’s statement was an attempt to deflect the issue rather than address the students’ concerns.”
“When students and youth are subjected to police action and lathi-charge, it is our duty as the Opposition to raise their voice. These students are our children and the future of the country, so it is our responsibility to stand with them,” he said.
Negi must speak about recruitment irregularities in Himachal: BJP
Hitting back, BJP Himachal Pradesh spokesperson Sandipani Bhardwaj condemned the statement made by Negi against the BJP’s senior leadership, stating that the minister has lost both his “political balance and credibility”.
He said that instead of making derogatory remarks against BJP leaders, Negi should first answer the people of Himachal on the Congress government’s failures in providing employment and ensuring transparency in recruitment.
Bhardwaj said, “The state government shut down Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission by citing alleged irregularities, but has failed to make the findings of its investigation public. If serious irregularities had indeed taken place, why has the government not released a white paper identifying those responsible?”
