Political vendetta, says Himachal BJP lawmaker after Vigilance Bureau questioning

Shimla, Aug 21 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Sudhir Sharma was on Friday questioned by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau here in connection with a disproportionate assets (DA) case registered against him on July 29 but the latter has described the Congress government of unleashing “political vendetta” when the state Assembly is underway.

Later, Sharma told the media that he fully “respects the law and is cooperating with the investigation”.

He said the information sought by the Vigilance Department has already been provided wherever required, and the questions raised by the investigating agency are being answered with facts and documents.

“We are law-abiding people. Whatever facts are there will eventually come before the people of Himachal Pradesh. There is nothing to hide, and I will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation,” Sharma added.

The BJP lawmaker questioned the timing of the Vigilance Bureau’s action, saying that the Legislative Assembly is currently in session and summoning an Opposition MLA during the proceedings raises serious questions.

He said the Congress government was attempting to put pressure on Opposition legislators at a time when they were raising important public issues in the Assembly.

“It’s unprecedented that during an ongoing Assembly Session, an MLA is called away in this manner. The present government appears determined to suppress the voice of the Opposition. Such an approach cannot continue for long,” he added.

Former Cabinet Minister Sharma, who switched loyalties from the Congress, said that no investigation or political pressure would prevent BJP legislators from raising issues concerning the people of the state.

Questioning the procedure adopted in the investigation, Sharma said that the case pertains to Dharamsala and the relevant records are also located there.

“The case is in Dharamsala and the documents are there. I fail to understand why I have been summoned to the Vigilance headquarters in Shimla and why there is such urgency. Every investigation has a procedure and protocol, and these must be followed,” he noted.

Sharma was among the six Congress MLAs who, along with three Independents, voted in favour of the BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan during the Rajya Sabha elections in 2024. Later they joined the BJP and contested the by-elections.

Out of the nine seats, Congress won six, and the BJP won three.

–IANS

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