Himachal Congress leader Kushal Mungta demands a BJP apology for hosting Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, citing his past comments on beef as hypocritical to the BJP's stated dedication to protecting Hindu religious and cultural sentiments.
Congress Demands Apology from BJP Leaders
The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Kushal Mungta on Monday demanded an apology from Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and other BJP leaders for welcoming Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the party's 'Arajkta Hatao' (Remove Anarchy) march in Shimla, alleging that the BJP's actions contradicted its claims of protecting Hindu traditions and cow conservation.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress office in Shimla, Mungta questioned the BJP's decision to share a political platform with Assam CM Sarma, referring to his alleged April 8, 2026, statement that beef consumption was not prohibited but should be restricted to homes. Mungta said the BJP, which claims to represent Sanatan culture and Hindu religious sentiments, should explain why it welcomed a leader who had made such remarks.
Criticism of BJP's Political Strategy
Speaking with ANI after the press conference, Mungta said, "I strongly condemn the statements made by Himanta Biswa Sarma in Devbhoomi Himachal Pradesh. Jai Ram Thakur and other BJP leaders, including the state party president and Anurag Thakur, should apologise to the people of Himachal Pradesh for welcoming him." He alleged that the BJP had built its march around communal and religious issues and said the Congress opposed the use of religion for political purposes.
"We do not indulge in politics over cow meat or Hindu-Muslim issues. The Congress does not practise caste-based or regional politics. However, the BJP yesterday organised its entire march around communal and Hindu religious issues, which we condemn," Mungta said. He also questioned the BJP's association with Sarma, alleging that the Assam Chief Minister had faced corruption allegations, including those related to the water and pipe supply sectors, and that investigations involving him and his wife were continuing.
Governance and Economic Concerns
Mungta further referred to Sarma's alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a rally in Tezpur in 2014 and asked the BJP to explain why it was standing alongside a leader who had previously criticised Modi. Mungta also questioned the BJP's claims regarding infiltration, citing figures from the Union Home Ministry's March 14, 2018, Rajya Sabha reply. According to the figures cited by him, 5,234 Bangladeshi nationals were deported in 2013, while the number declined to 474 in 2015, 308 in 2016 and 51 in 2017. He asked the BJP to explain the decline in deportations despite its claims of taking strong action against infiltration after coming to power at the Centre in 2014.
The Congress spokesperson also raised concerns over Assam's rising debt under the BJP government led by Sarma. Citing financial figures, Mungta said Assam's outstanding liabilities stood at approximately Rs 72,256 crore in 2019-20 and increased to around Rs 1,61,761 crore by March 31, 2025. He said the liabilities included Rs 18,582 crore in interest-free loans and Rs 1,43,179 crore in interest-bearing debt. Mungta said BJP leaders should present the financial position of Assam before questioning the economic management of other states.
Electoral Integrity and Political Allegations
He also criticised the previous BJP government in Himachal Pradesh led by Jai Ram Thakur, alleging that paper leaks and controversies during the COVID-19 period had raised questions about its governance. He said BJP leaders should acknowledge the appreciation expressed by former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar and the World Bank for the present Himachal government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Mungta also criticised BJP leaders for demanding the resignation of the Himachal Pradesh government, saying they should first evaluate their own political conduct and governance record.
He clarified that the November 1 rally in Delhi was organised against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged vote theft, rather than against electronic voting machines (EVMs). He said concerns over the electoral process, deletion of voters' names and the protection of voting rights were central to the Congress's campaign. Mungta alleged that the BJP was attempting to influence electoral outcomes through SIR and other mechanisms and accused the ruling party at the Centre of misusing institutions, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He said the decision regarding who would govern Himachal Pradesh rested with the state's electorate and not with leaders from other states.
"Himanta Biswa Sarma will not decide whether Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu remains the Chief Minister. The 70 lakh people of Himachal Pradesh will decide whether the Congress remains in power or not," Mungta said. He alleged that the BJP was using central agencies and electoral mechanisms to influence governments and claimed that the Congress would respond to such attempts through democratic means.
Mungta also referred to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's alleged October 31 remarks regarding voter lists following SIR. According to Mungta, Adityanath had claimed that 1.27 crore Hindu voters were missing from the electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh. He also referred to alleged discrepancies involving 66 lakh people listed in panchayat electoral rolls and 55 lakh beneficiaries of government schemes whose names, he claimed, were absent from the Assembly electoral rolls. Mungta questioned how the BJP could dismiss opposition concerns over voter-list transparency when its own Chief Minister had raised similar issues. He said the Election Commission should clarify the basis of such claims and ensure that no eligible citizen was excluded from the electoral process without due procedure and an opportunity to be heard.
He also referred to questions raised during Supreme Court proceedings concerning additional details submitted online through Form 6 and their authorisation. Mungta said the independence and credibility of the Election Commission were essential to the functioning of democracy. The Congress spokesperson also expressed concern over the SIR exercise in West Bengal, alleging that a large number of voters had been affected by changes to electoral rolls. Citing figures that he attributed to the Election Commission's submissions before the Supreme Court, Mungta said around 27 lakh names had been deleted and more than 22 lakh people had subsequently sought restoration of their names. He further cited approximately 38.31 lakh appeals filed as of September 2026, of which around 1.26 lakh had reportedly been disposed of at the time. Mungta said the figures highlighted the need for timely resolution of complaints and transparency in the electoral process. He said the Election Commission must ensure that every eligible voter retained the right to participate in elections.
Mungta also defended the Congress-led opposition's November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, saying the gathering was organised to protest alleged irregularities in electoral processes, political defections and the misuse of institutions. He said the rally was not limited to supporting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi or any particular political party, but was aimed at raising concerns over democracy, unemployment, inflation and alleged vote theft. Responding to BJP leaders' claims that the rally had failed to attract a significant crowd, Mungta said the electoral response would be reflected when elections were held. He also referred to the BJP's earlier claim of crossing 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and said the party had subsequently fallen short of that target. Mungta said the BJP should not underestimate the opposition's strength, pointing out that the Congress had close to 100 MPs and that the BJP-led government at the Centre depended on coalition partners. He said the people of Himachal Pradesh would respond to what he described as communal, caste-based and regional politics through the democratic process. Mungta reiterated that the Congress opposed the BJP's demand for the resignation of the Sukhu government and maintained that the state's electorate would decide its political future. He said the BJP should apologise to the people of Himachal Pradesh for welcoming Sarma and explain its position on cow protection, religious sentiments and electoral transparency. (ANI)
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