Himachal Government Withdraws Decision of Claiming 30% from Magic Show Organiser Following Viral Backlash
Shimla, March 12: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Himachal Pradesh government is again embroiled in controversy after an order from the Deputy Director of Hamirpur education Department. The order stated that the proceeds from the magic shows held in the schools should be deposited into the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund or the Disaster Fund, with 30% of the earnings going to the fund. The directive, which soon went viral on social media, has drawn extensive condemnation from opposition parties, many of which have questioned the state’s financial health.
The much-debated order was issued on March 11 by the Deputy Director of Elementary Education in Hamirpur, who gave permission to a magician to perform shows in state-run schools. Calligram also included that a percentage share from these shows be given to a relief fund by the government. The request for 30% of the earnings created a frenzy among the public, especially on social media, where internet users quickly shared the letter, resulting in a slew of critical comments.
Opposition Reacts Strongly
The opposition parties, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), wasted no time pouncing on the issue, using it as an opportunity to attack the Sukhu government’s management of the state’s finances. Raising the issue in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, BJP MLA Randhir Sharma said, “The financial condition of the government has become so bad that now money is being earned by holding magic shows in schools. But this is a clear reflection of the government’s mismanagement and financial distress.”
“The Congress party which misleads people through lies in elections,” said Sharma cricticised. He said, “Congress had promised a lot during the elections but those were false guarantees and now the burden of these promises is being borne by the common people. It’s sometimes the government is collecting money from temples and then from toilet taxes… and now have come to magic shows. It illustrates the scale of their financial malpractice.”
Order Withdrawn After Minister Explanation
However, in response to the opposition’s sharp attack, the Education Minister Rohit Thakur directed that the controversial directive be withdrawn immediately. He said the concept of hosting magic shows in schools was not new, but asserted that the specific order directing the money earned from these shows to be given to Chief Minister’s Relief Fund had no base.
“It was a mistake to issue such an order,” Minister Thakur said, explaining that it had been issued after “some confusion.” Obviating the need for this decision to be issued in the first place. The Deputy Director has also been directed to issue a clarification on this issue.” This rapid backtrack was interpreted by the government as an attempt to mitigate the outcry, but did not pacify the opposition backlash.
The social media backlash and public outcry
The issue became contagious on social media with circiters and citizens questioning the practice of using school activities to raise money. The government’s decision was mocked by numerous users, emphasizing it was yet another instance of the state’s financial desperation. “Is this what we’ve come to? Magic shows to raise funds for relief efforts? “All this is an embarrassment,” one social media user wrote. Others argued against the ethics of treating school children and educational events as a fundraising prop.
Along with this, many highlighted the irony of the government’s public proclamations of financial stability even as it put in place such measures to raise funds. The government had insisted it had enough money to address the state’s needs, but the new decision questioned that promise.
Sukhu Government Under Fire
The incident is the latest controversial decision by the Sukhu government which has come under fire. The controversy over the magic shows has put the state government on the defensive, with the opposition pointing to the controversy as evidence of the government’s mismanagement of the state’s finances.
Reversing the order may have staved off immediate outrage, for now, but the damage has been done to the government’s image. This incident, critics say, is a manifestation of the state leadership’s poor performance, and their ability to run the state’s affairs on one hand, and a misuse of the state’s resources on the other.
Moving Forward
The challenge has put the Sukhu government in the dock, as the opposition continues to attack it over the finances of the state. Even so, the order’s retraction may do lasting damage to the government’s credibility, particularly as the state grapples with an ongoing debate over its fiscal health.
The government will face more criticism in the next few weeks, to its niceties on achieving the commitments made in its electoral campaign as well as its financial choices. The public and political rivals alike are expected to keep a close watch on the government’s actions, anticipating further indications of its management of the state’s economic situation.
No one can know how the Sukhu government will overcome its blunder — or what it will do next to rebuild public faith in its management of the state finances.
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