The Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly witnessed dramatic scenes on Wednesday as opposition BJP members stormed into the well of the house, demanding an apology from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan. The uproar led Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania to adjourn the proceedings until Thursday.
Chaos Erupts Over Minister's Remarks
The political storm began when Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan made controversial remarks about former BJP minister Ram Lal Markanda. The opposition BJP members immediately took strong objection to Chauhan's statements, considering them disrespectful and unparliamentary.
As tensions escalated, BJP legislators led by Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur left their seats and entered the well of the house. They began shouting slogans against the Congress government and demanded that Minister Chauhan immediately withdraw his comments and apologize to the house.
Speaker's Attempts to Restore Order Fail
Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania made repeated attempts to calm the agitated opposition members and restore order in the assembly. He urged the BJP legislators to return to their seats and allow the house to conduct its scheduled business normally.
Despite the Speaker's interventions, the protesting BJP members refused to budge from their position. The continuous uproar and slogan-shouting made it impossible to conduct any legislative business, with the opposition remaining firm in their demand for an unconditional apology from the parliamentary affairs minister.
House Adjourned Until Thursday
With no resolution in sight and the protests showing no signs of abating, Speaker Pathania had no option but to adjourn the house proceedings. The assembly will now reconvene on Thursday morning, though uncertainty looms over whether the opposition will continue their protest.
This incident marks another chapter in the ongoing political tensions between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP in the Himachal Pradesh assembly. The current budget session has seen multiple confrontations between the treasury and opposition benches over various issues of governance and administration.
The adjournment resulted in the loss of an entire day's legislative business, including important discussions on matters concerning the state's development and public welfare. Both sides are expected to hold strategy meetings overnight to determine their approach when the house reconvenes on Thursday.
