HP Minister Jagat Singh Negi launched a strong attack on the BJP, accusing them of distorting facts over the Assembly video and National Anthem row. He claimed the Opposition is misleading the public and disrespecting national symbols for political gain.
Negi accuses BJP of 'distorting facts' over video footage
The Revenue, Horticulture and Tribal Development Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jagat Singh Negi on Wednesday launched a strong attack on the BJP over the ongoing controversy surrounding the Assembly video footage, the National Anthem-Vande Mataram row and Opposition Leader Jai Ram Thakur's allegations, accusing the Opposition of "distorting facts" and misleading the public.
Reacting to BJP claims that the Assembly video clearly establishes what happened during the controversial proceedings, Negi said the footage should be examined in its entirety, arguing that Assembly cameras do not automatically capture every member who interrupts proceedings. Negi explained that when the Speaker grants permission to a member to speak, the Assembly camera focuses on that member. If other legislators interrupt from their seats, the camera generally remains focused on the authorised speaker. "The camera is focused only on the member whom the Speaker has authorised to speak. If others interrupt or try to stop that member from speaking, the camera does not move towards them," Negi said. He said the Opposition was allegedly taking advantage of this system to present a misleading version of events and conceal what he described as the BJP's disrespect towards the National Anthem.
The National Anthem-Vande Mataram row
Negi said the complete Assembly footage could be checked and demanded that the relevant video clips be made available so that the truth could be established. Recounting the sequence of events, Negi said that at the beginning of an Assembly sitting, the Speaker normally welcomes members and proceedings then follow established traditions and conventions. He said the Assembly has traditionally observed the National Anthem as part of its proceedings. However, he alleged that when the National Anthem was announced during the controversial sitting, BJP members began singing Vande Mataram instead.
Negi questioned the decision to turn the two national songs into a political confrontation. He said both the National Anthem and Vande Mataram have their respective importance and that Vande Mataram played a significant inspirational role during India's freedom struggle. He also referred to amendments made by the Union government to legislation dealing with respect for national symbols, saying that the national song had also been brought within the relevant legal framework. Negi said there was no provision, according to his understanding, prescribing that either the National Anthem or Vande Mataram must necessarily be performed first in every situation, while stressing that the Himachal Pradesh Assembly has its own established conventions. He said the Assembly has traditionally observed the National Anthem during its proceedings and also follows the practice of singing the national song at appropriate occasions, including at the conclusion of a session.
BJP's 'fake nationalism' questioned
Negi accused the BJP of selectively invoking nationalism for political purposes. He alleged that the Opposition was attempting to impose its ideological preferences on public institutions and was creating a confrontation between the National Anthem and Vande Mataram. He further criticised the BJP's historical record on national symbols, claiming that the ideological stream associated with the BJP had not always accorded the national flag and national song the respect it now claims to champion.
Negi also attacked the BJP's Tiranga Yatra campaign, questioning why such campaigns were not taken to areas along the China border. "If they are truly nationalists, they should take the Tiranga Yatra to the China border in Arunachal Pradesh, where China is showing us red eyes and claiming Indian territory," he said. Calling the BJP's campaign "fake nationalism", Negi alleged that the Opposition was using the National Anthem controversy to divert attention from issues including paper leaks, inflation, free-trade agreements and alleged Chinese occupation of Indian territory. He said the country was facing several major challenges and accused the BJP of deliberately creating a new controversy around national symbols to shift public attention away from them.
On privilege motions and legal action
Negi also responded to the BJP's reported plans to approach the Speaker and the High Court over the Assembly proceedings. He said the Opposition was free to pursue a privilege motion if it believed that parliamentary or Assembly rules had been violated, but asserted that legislators enjoy constitutional protection for statements made during legislative proceedings. He argued that statements made by members inside the Assembly cannot ordinarily become the basis for legal action in a court because of the constitutional protection available to legislative speech. Negi said the Opposition could approach the High Court, but questioned what legal remedy it expected when the issue concerned proceedings protected by legislative privilege. He also said a privilege motion could be brought against those who, according to the government, had violated Assembly norms.
Response to Opposition allegations
Responding to Opposition claims that he had made a reference to his Scheduled Caste background without any such statement appearing in the video, Negi said he had repeatedly faced interruptions and alleged harassment whenever he stood up to speak. He claimed that when he was speaking, the camera was focused on him, while the interruptions coming from Opposition benches were not necessarily captured because the camera remained fixed on the authorised speaker. Negi alleged that BJP members had repeatedly tried to prevent him from putting forward his views and claimed that some Opposition behaviour inside the House amounted to intimidation and harassment. He also referred to previous allegations and remarks made against him in the Assembly, saying that some statements made by BJP members had been extremely serious. Negi said that if conduct outside the protected legislative proceedings amounted to intimidation or harassment, he would be free to seek appropriate legal remedies.
On Jai Ram Thakur's role and Assembly rules
Negi dismissed Opposition Leader Jai Ram Thakur's allegations, saying he did not accept Thakur's version of events. "I do not accept what Jai Ram ji says. He frequently tries to mislead," Negi said. He also challenged Thakur's criticism that replies to questions and supplementary questions were being unnecessarily restricted. According to Negi, Thakur had himself sought several supplementary questions on various occasions, with the Speaker allowing him four or five supplementaries in some instances. Negi said there was no rule under the Assembly's Rules of Procedure that required a minister to continue answering questions simply because the Leader of the Opposition claimed he was not satisfied with the reply. "The rules do not say that the Leader of the Opposition has to be satisfied with the answer," he said. He maintained that it was ultimately the Speaker's responsibility to determine whether a minister's answer was adequate and whether further clarification was required. "If the answer is not sufficient, the Speaker can ask the minister to elaborate, but Jai Ram Thakur cannot say that because he is not satisfied, the minister must continue answering indefinitely," Negi said.
BJP accused of disrupting proceedings
Negi also accused Thakur and BJP legislators of repeatedly violating Assembly conventions by interrupting ruling-party members. He said that even when a Congress member was speaking during Zero Hour, BJP legislators frequently stood up and attempted to interrupt. He alleged that when the BJP was speaking, Congress members generally allowed them to complete their statements, whereas BJP members repeatedly interrupted when the ruling side got an opportunity to respond. Negi said the Assembly rules clearly provide that when the Speaker gives a member the floor, other members should not interrupt. He alleged that BJP legislators were deliberately creating disruptions whenever the government began responding to Opposition allegations because they did not want the government's version to reach the public.
Negi alleged that the BJP's strategy was to make allegations, create interruptions and then walk out before the government could fully respond. He said the Opposition was attempting to prevent the government from placing its position before the public through the Assembly. "Their attempt is to interrupt us whenever we start responding so that the truth does not reach the people," Negi said. The minister said that the National Anthem-Vande Mataram controversy, the dispute over Assembly video footage, the proposed privilege proceedings and threats of legal action were all being used by the BJP as part of a larger political strategy to divert attention from substantive public issues. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)