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Demand for resignation of Himachal Minister

Staff Correspondent

Combined Pre Medical Test question paper scam

SHIMLA: The Himachal State Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded resignation of Excise and Taxation Minister Rangila Ram Rao who according to the party was the "main culprit" behind the infamous Combined Pre Medical Test question paper scam that rocked the hill State recently.

Addressing a Press conference after the State Committee meeting, State Secretariat members Onkar Shad and Tikender Panwar said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh should sack the Minister immediately instead of adopting dilly-dallying tactics.

Even a month after the unearthing of the scandal the police had made no arrests since the Government had ordered a "go slow" approach as a number of ruling Congress men were also involved in this inter-State racket, charged the CPI (M) spokesmen.

The party also plans to launch a mass campaign against the acquisition of arable land of farmers for the so-called Special Economic Zones. Fertile land of farmers in Kangra, Una, Shimla and Manali is being taken away by the Government at throwaway prices, they said. Fearing a massive displacement of farmers, the CPI (M) has opposed the emergence of these sovereign areas within the State territory.

"There is just 6 lakh hectares of agricultural land in the State and out of this one lakh hectares has already been submerged under various hydro-electric projects, so the farmers are left with very small holdings. The agrarian crisis is deepening day by day even in the quiet hill State now," they said.

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Demand for resignation of Himachal Minister

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