Shimla, 02 September:Â Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur has expressed concern over the deepening financial crisis in Himachal Pradesh, reprimanding the current state government. Thakur has submitted a memorandum to the Governor and warned that the state has reached the brink of economic emergency. He described the delay in salary payment to employees and pension to retired employees as evidence of the poor financial condition of the government.
Addressing the media, Thakur made serious allegations against Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, accusing him of biased and dictatorial conduct. Thakur claimed that Pathania’s behavior has not only hurt the dignity of the constitutional post of the Speaker, but also hurt the sentiments of MLAs inside and outside the Assembly.
Thakur elaborated that the Speaker’s actions have always been in favor of the ruling party, often ignoring parliamentary rules and traditions. Thakur said, “Whenever the opposition, especially me, referred to the rules, the speaker dismissed our concerns with statements like ‘I know everything; I don’t need to be taught’.”
The controversy further escalated after Pathania’s recent remarks against MLAs during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. Despite the issue being raised in the Assembly by MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Pathania neither withdrew his remarks nor expressed any regret.
According to Thakur, he instead made more “irresponsible remarks” outside the House. In response to these developments, the BJP Legislative Party moved a resolution under Rule 274, seeking Pathania’s removal from the post of Speaker. Thakur criticized Pathania for sitting on his seat in the Assembly without waiting for the motion to be introduced, discussed and voted on, calling it a violation of parliamentary norms.
Thakur also highlighted the rejection of an adjournment motion under Rule 67, which the BJP had moved to discuss the deteriorating economic condition of the state. He expressed disappointment that the speaker refused to allow a discussion on the issue despite repeated requests from both Thakur and former speaker Vipin Singh Parmar.
This led to the opposition boycotting the assembly session once again. Underlining the gravity of the financial crisis, Thakur said that despite it being September 2, the state government has yet to pay salaries to its employees or pensions to retired employees. “This clearly shows that the state has reached the brink of economic bankruptcy,” Thakur said. He urged Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla to take immediate and appropriate action in view of the prevailing circumstances.
Continuing the achievement of the journey of effectiveness and credibility of more than 10 years in the career of journalism, as a woman journalist, I am Serving as the founder, promoter and editor of DiaryTimes with the trust and support of all. My credible coverage may not have given a big shape to the numbers, but my journey presents articles that make you aware of the exact and meaningful situations of Himachal’s politics, ground issues related to the public, business, tourism and the difficult geographical conditions of the state and financial awareness. DiaryTimes, full of the experience of my precise editorial expertise, is awakening the flame of credible journalism among all of you, so that the eternal flame of meaningful change can be lit in the life of the people of the state and the atrocities being committed against the people can be brought to the fore, I am motivated for that. If even a small change comes with the power of my journalism and the whole world becomes a witness to that issues, then I will consider myself fortunate.
