Himachal session starts with BJP protest, CM Sukhu blames internal rifts

BJP legislators protested against the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh over unfulfilled job promises. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hit back, accusing the Opposition of protesting due to internal differences within the BJP.

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly's monsoon session began on Friday with a political confrontation outside the House, as BJP legislators protested against the Congress government over alleged failure to fulfil its employment promises, while Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hit back, accusing the Opposition of staging protests due to internal differences within the BJP.

BJP's Allegations on Unfulfilled Promises

The BJP's protest was led by MLA Randhir Sharma, who accused the state government of failing to honour major electoral guarantees made to the youth during the 2022 Assembly elections. He said the Congress had promised to provide one lakh government jobs in its first Cabinet meeting and five lakh employment opportunities within five years, but had failed to fulfil the commitments despite completing nearly three-and-a-half years in office.

"The Congress had given several major guarantees to the youth during the Assembly elections, including one lakh government jobs in the very first Cabinet meeting and five lakh employment opportunities in five years. These promises have not been fulfilled," Sharma alleged.

Sharma claimed that the Congress government had provided only a few thousand jobs and was presenting these appointments as a major achievement. He alleged that several of the appointments were not regular government posts and that young people were instead being engaged through outsourced arrangements, job-training programmes and other temporary mechanisms.

The BJP leader further accused the government of shutting down schemes that could have generated employment for young people. "Instead of creating employment opportunities, the government has closed several schemes that were providing employment. The government talks about bringing new industries to Himachal, but existing industries are also leaving the state," Sharma alleged.

The BJP MLA also targeted the Congress government's proposed startup initiative. He claimed that during the elections, the Congress had promised a Rs 10 crore startup allocation in every Assembly constituency, amounting to a total proposed outlay of around Rs 680 crore.

"This guarantee has also not been fulfilled," Sharma alleged. The BJP said it had raised these issues through its protest outside the Assembly and also submitted an adjournment motion notice under Rule 67, seeking suspension of the remaining business of the House to allow a discussion on the employment situation and the government's commitments to the youth. The Opposition demanded that the Assembly set aside other listed business and take up the issue of employment on priority.

CM Sukhu Hits Back at Opposition

Reacting to the BJP protest, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu alleged that the BJP legislators were demonstrating because of internal differences within their party. "Protesting is a good thing. It is the responsibility of the Opposition to protest against the government. But BJP MLAs are protesting because of their internal differences," Sukhu alleged.

The Chief Minister further accused BJP leaders of staging protests primarily to remain in the good books of the party's central leadership. He alleged that the protests were aimed more at political posturing than at raising substantive public issues.

Sukhu also used the occasion to target Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, claiming that differences within the BJP had become increasingly visible. The Chief Minister alleged that some BJP legislators wanted Thakur removed from the post of Leader of Opposition.

"Some BJP MLAs want to remove the Leader of Opposition from his post," Sukhu claimed, without naming the legislators he was referring to.

The BJP has not been quoted in the material provided as responding to Sukhu's allegations.

Confrontation Moves Inside Assembly

The war of words outside the Assembly set the tone for a turbulent opening day of the monsoon session. The confrontation later moved inside the House, where ruling Congress and Opposition BJP members clashed over the National Anthem and Vande Mataram.

The dispute eventually led to the Assembly being adjourned for the day. The BJP accused the ruling side of disrespecting the National Song, while Sukhu accused BJP legislators of disrespecting the National Anthem.

Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania subsequently adjourned the House amid the uproar, saying the established practice was to begin the session with the National Anthem and conclude it with the National Song.

The developments on the first day indicate that employment, unfulfilled election guarantees, the economy and a range of political and governance issues are likely to dominate the monsoon session, while the dispute over the National Anthem and Vande Mataram has emerged as an additional flashpoint between the ruling Congress and BJP.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)