The row between Himachal Pradesh government and military over ownership of Annandale ground on Sunday escalated with the Army saying national security cannot be ignored for 'game and gimmicks' and the Chief Minister alleging the large ground was under its 'unlawful occupation'.
Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal also threatened to file a defamatory suit against the Army if it did not tender an unconditional apology for allegedly maligning the image of the BJP-ruled government and him in particular.
The state government has demanded that the historic ground be handed over to it for building a multi-sports stadium.
The 121-bigha ground, surrounded by thick forests just 4.5 km from Shimla's Ridge, has been under the army's control since World War II and has now become a bone of contention between the state government and the army amid an intensified campaign launched by Himachal Pradesh Cricket association (HPCA) headed by Anurag Thakur, MP and son of Dhumal, to restore it to the state authorities.
Adopting a tough posture, the army rejected the demand with a hard hitting statement.
"Annandale ground is of paramount strategic significance for Indian Army from national security perspective which can never be ignored in favour of any game and gimmicks being played at the cost of larger national interest, national security, army training and disaster management purposes which are not negotiable at any cost," it said.
Reacting sharply to the army statement, the chief minister said that "factually, Annandale ground belongs to Himachal and in under unlawful occupation of the Army."
Dhumal alleged the statement is false, baseless, misleading, defamatory and aimed at maligning the clean image of the state Government in general and Chief Minister, in particular".
He sought immediate unconditional apology by the authorities responsible for issuing the statement, failing which he said he would file a defamation suit and initiate appropriate legal action.
The historic ground from where the Durand cup started, was major centre of activities during British rule and also a Race course, was leased to the Army during the World war II, to be used as a training camp and the lease expired some thirty years ago.
The state has been pressing for returning the land to it.