Himachal Assembly Monsoon Session to Set Record with 981 Questions; Stormy Beginning Expected Today
Shimla, August 18:
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly’s monsoon session begins today, and it is expected to be stormy from the very start. The session will open at 2 pm, beginning with an obituary reference to former MLA Ganesh Dutt Bharwal. This will be followed by Question Hour and other legislative business.
The opposition is likely to move an adjournment motion seeking discussion on the recent natural disasters. BJP legislator Lokendra Kumar plans to raise the issue of denotifying the Dogri Primary School in Nirmand under Rule 62, while Congress MLA Kewal Singh Pathania will bring a calling attention motion on relaxations in BPL selection.
Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar will move a proposal to withdraw the “Himachal Pradesh Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry University (Amendment) Bill, 2024.” A debate under Rule 130 is also expected on the damages caused by heavy rains, to be raised by legislators Chander Kumar, Kewal Singh Pathania, Suresh Kumar, and Neeraj Nayar. MLA Jeet Ram Katwal will propose a policy initiative to promote natural farming.
This will be the ninth session of the 14th Assembly, spread across 12 sittings till September 2, making it the fourth-largest monsoon session in Assembly history. Earlier, 13 sittings were held in 1962, 15 in 1968, and 17 in 2009. Ahead of the session, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania will chair an all-party meeting with the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Leader of Opposition, and whips of both parties. Security and administrative preparations have been finalized.
The Assembly Secretariat has received a record 981 questions, including 793 starred and 188 unstarred. In addition, 13 notices have been filed under Rule 62, six under Rule 101, and 13 under Rule 130. Key issues to be raised include damages caused by natural calamities, rehabilitation of affected families, disaster management, school mergers, road and bridge construction, vacant posts in departments, rising drug abuse among youth, and pending payments of employees.
The opposition’s aggressive strategy is expected to dominate proceedings. BJP plans to corner the government on issues such as disaster relief delays, financial crisis, shifting of institutions, law and order, drug trafficking, unemployment, illegal mining, and unfulfilled guarantees. The party may even move an adjournment motion today itself on disaster relief, accusing the state government of failing to provide aid despite central assistance.
The BJP Legislature Party met at Willy Park on Sunday evening under the leadership of Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur to finalize its strategy. Party leader Randhir Sharma said the Congress government will be held accountable on every issue, from ignoring employees’ demands to closing institutions and failing to maintain law and order. He accused the government of being silent as kidnappings, drug trade, and illegal mining increased across the state. Sharma further claimed that the central government had already released over ₹7,000 crore for disaster management, but the state failed to deliver relief to affected families.
Meanwhile, the Congress Legislature Party, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is also meeting today to devise its counter-strategy. The ruling party plans to highlight its two-and-a-half years of achievements while accusing the central government of neglecting Himachal, preparing to hit back at the opposition during the session.
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