SHIMLA: The impasse between the ruling party and the opposition inside the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly showed no signs of easing on Saturday, the second day of the monsoon session. Severe disruptions and heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches forced Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania to adjourn the House until on Monday, August 24.
Tensions escalated immediately after the lunch recess when members from both parties confronted each other during a clarification statement by the Chief Minister. As the chaos intensified inside the chamber, Speaker Pathania adjourned the proceedings. Soon after, aggrieved BJP legislators staged a dharna outside the Speaker’s office, shouting slogans against the state government.
The confrontation was an extension of the standoff that began outside the assembly premises on Saturday morning. On Friday, initial disruptions over the national anthem and national song had led to an early adjournment until 2:00 PM. However, when the House reassembled, the uproar resumed, preventing any official business from being transacted.
Throughout the day, both sides engaged in sharp allegations. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu accused BJP legislators of disrespecting the National Anthem during Friday’s sitting, claiming they raised their hands before the anthem had concluded.
Sukhu also referenced a past incident in Seraj, where footwear and clothes were reportedly thrown at Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi’s vehicle while it carried the national tricolor, calling it an insult to the national flag. He asserted that national symbols belong to the entire country, not to any single political party, adding that millions of Congress workers had made sacrifices for the nation.
Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur firmly rejected the Chief Minister’s claims through a Point of Order, calling the allegations completely baseless. Thakur demanded that Speaker Pathania release and present the official video recording of Friday’s National Anthem performance in the House to establish the truth. He stated that if the video proves no disrespect took place, the Chief Minister must tender an immediate apology.
Hitting back, Thakur alleged that the genuine insult to the National Song occurred at the Congress headquarters during Independence Day celebrations. He further argued that the Congress Working Committee had truncated Vande Mataram in 1937. The Leader of Opposition emphasized that the nation operates strictly by constitutional rules rather than directives from the Congress Working Committee.
Thakur claimed it was unprecedented for an opposition to demand the smooth running of the House while the ruling administration actively evaded discussions. He accused the state government of running away from debates on pressing public issues scheduled for the monsoon session.
Earlier in the day, political postures were made clear before the House convened. Congress MLAs held placards and chanted slogans asserting that the nation would not tolerate any insult to the National Anthem. The strategy to target the opposition on this issue was finalized during a Congress Legislature Party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sukhu, with the ruling party deciding to take the campaign to the district level.
