Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday virtually interacted with students of Government Senior Secondary School, Deori, in Mandi district and said Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would inaugurate the newly constructed school building after her visit was postponed due to bad weather.
Sukhu interacted with the students from his official residence in Shimla and discussed their studies and the newly constructed school building.
The Deori school building was damaged during the natural disaster in September 2023. During her visit to the disaster-hit areas of Mandi district on September 12, 2023, Priyanka Gandhi visited the area and met the students. The students had requested her to help restore the school building.
Priyanka Gandhi had assured the students that the school would be rebuilt and had also requested that she be invited once the new building was completed.
The new school building has been constructed at a cost of around Rs 4.30 crore.
Priyanka Gandhi was scheduled to travel to Mandi on Tuesday to inaugurate the building, but her visit was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. She subsequently sent a message to the students from Shimla.
"Priyanka Gandhi used to ask about Deori school whenever she met me. I am happy that the new school building has now been completed. She wanted to inaugurate it herself, but due to bad weather she could not reach Mandi today," Sukhu said.
He said Priyanka Gandhi had assured him that she would return to Himachal Pradesh once the weather improves and inaugurate the school. Her programme could be rescheduled in September, he added.
Sukhu said the process of starting classes in the new building would now begin and students would soon be able to study there.
On the proposed expansion of the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, Sukhu said one round of discussions had already been held and a second round of consultations with the Congress high command was underway.
"I am going to Delhi for the Congress Working Committee meeting. A final decision on the Cabinet expansion will be taken after discussions with the high command," he said, expressing hope that the expansion would take place soon.
With the Monsoon Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly scheduled to begin on August 21, Sukhu said his government was prepared to respond to issues raised by the Opposition.
"If the Opposition comes with issues, the government is ready to discuss them. Asking questions and seeking answers from the government is the democratic right of the Opposition, but there is no benefit in creating a ruckus," he said.
Taking a swipe at the BJP, Sukhu said Opposition members could raise slogans and enter the Well of the House, but the government was ready for a discussion on substantive issues.
He also criticised former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur over the duration of Assembly sessions, saying that a 10-day Monsoon Session had never been held during Thakur's tenure.
"The BJP can demand an extension of the session if it wants, but there should be discussion on real issues in the House," Sukhu said.
Reacting to Himachal Pradesh BJP president Rajiv Bindal's remark questioning how papers could be leaked when examinations were not being held, Sukhu said recruitment processes were continuing in the state.
He cited the declaration of results for JBTs, lecturers and assistant staff nurses, besides recruitment of teachers in CBSE schools.
Sukhu said the merit level for recruitment of teachers in subjects including Physics, Chemistry, English, Mathematics and Commerce in CBSE schools had reached between 70 and 80 per cent.
He also said the minimum merit in the results for 699 staff nurse posts was around 80 per cent.
"This is part of 'Vyavastha Parivartan' (systemic change). The Opposition will not see this change because it wants to remain in power," Sukhu said.
He added that his government had taken strict measures to prevent paper leaks and warned that anyone involved in leaking examination papers would face action and imprisonment.
Sukhu also said he would again write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the release of Rs 1,500 crore in disaster assistance announced for Himachal Pradesh.
He said Prime Minister Modi had announced the assistance during his visit to Dharamshala in 2025 following a natural disaster in the state, but the amount had not yet been released.
"I have already written to the Prime Minister regarding this, and I will write again," Sukhu said.
He urged BJP leaders and MPs from Himachal Pradesh to raise the state's issues with the Centre instead of limiting themselves to political statements on social media.
"The BJP leaders should fight for Himachal's rights before the Centre. They should raise the issues concerning the state's interests and pending assistance," he said.
Sukhu also questioned an Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report that had described him as the richest chief minister in the country in terms of declared assets.
He alleged that his old properties had been valued at their current market prices in the report.
"If a person bought a plot 20 years ago for Rs 14 lakh and its value has increased to Rs 2 crore today, naturally its value will be higher at today's market price," Sukhu said.
He alleged that the figures were being presented politically to create an impression of corruption.
Sukhu said the state government was preparing a white paper on corruption allegations and would place facts and documents before the public.
He also questioned the BJP's four-member committee constituted to examine allegations of corruption, claiming that some members of the committee had themselves faced corruption allegations from the BJP in 2017 and 2022.
"When the government brings the white paper, all the facts will be placed before the people," Sukhu said.
The Chief Minister reiterated that issues concerning Himachal Pradesh's rights and pending assistance from the Centre should be kept above partisan politics.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
