Vikramaditya Singh meets Kharge, reaffirms commitment to Congress ideology

New Delhi, Sep 29 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh has met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and assured him about being steadfast to the party's ideology and principles, sources said on Sunday.

The meeting on Saturday evening came amid a row over Singh's recent remarks that it would be mandatory for street vendors to display their identity cards at their shops. The state government later clarified no such decision had been taken.

Sources said Singh met Kharge and conveyed his steadfastness to the Congress ideology and principles.

Singh on Saturday said he has assuaged the Congress high command's concerns about ideology following his recent remarks on the street vendors issue and described as "misconception" the perception that the Uttar Pradesh model was being followed in his state.

Singh's remarks had come a day after the Congress top brass chided him over his remarks on the mandatory display of names by the street vendors and told him that no one was allowed to go against the party's policies and ideologies.

Amid the row over the comments, Congress general secretary in-charge organisation KC Venugopal held a meeting with Singh here on Friday during which the minister was told that the party believed in Rahul Gandhi's mantra of fighting hatred with love.

"I apprised Venugopal ji of the real situation and I assuaged his concerns about ideology and assured him that we are dedicated and loyal soldiers of the party and will not do anything which is against the party line," said the PWD and Urban Development Minister in the Himachal Pradesh government.

Asked about assertions that the Uttar Pradesh model was being followed in Himachal Pradesh, Singh said it was highlighted in the media with a wrong perspective.

"That was the misconception portrayed by the media. That was taken cognizance by the high command. They had concerns about that also which they expressed and we assured them by placing the facts and figures before the Congress high command." Singh said.

Last Wednesday, the Himachal Pradesh minister told reporters that it would be mandatory for street vendors, especially those selling food items, to display their identity cards at their shops.

The decision, he had said, was inspired by a similar directive announced by the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government.

Distancing itself from Singh's remarks, the state government said in a statement that it had not taken any decision which made it mandatory for the street vendors to display nameplates or other identification at their stalls.

Singh had said the decision was taken considering "apprehensions" expressed by several locals about the rising numbers of migrants in the state. He also drew the censure of several leaders of the INDIA bloc when he posted his remarks on Facebook.

The AICC's Himachal Pradesh in-charge Rajiv Shukla had said that he had discussed the issue with Singh and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

"They will be given licences and regulated so that police do not harass them. The designated places will require identification such as Aadhaar cards and licences but there is no requirement for them to display a sign stating their name as the owner," Shukla told reporters in Jammu last Thursday. PTI