Shimla, Feb. 20 -- The Congress has once again acussed Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government of meting out stepmotherly treatment to Himachal Pradesh. "The Centre has not only denied the status of a special state but also snatched away the rights of Himachal. Conspiracies are being hatched deliberately to stop the development of Himachal Pradesh, in which the big leaders of the state BJP are playing a key role," alleged industries minister Harshwardhan Chauhan in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The statement comes a day after Himachal Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla dismissed concerns about insufficient central funding. He had said that the state received substantial financial support from the Centre. "If misunderstandings ari...