Shimla – The Monsoon Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly turned stormy on Tuesday as the opposition BJP announced a boycott of Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi. Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur said that while the government may be compelled to tolerate such a minister, “it is not our compulsion.”
The row began just before Zero Hour when Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Singh Chauhan asked Jairam Thakur to withdraw his remark that the government’s system had been “torn apart.” Thakur refused, citing examples to justify his words. At this point, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi intervened and accused the former BJP government of “murdering democracy” by appointing a Deputy Commissioner above him in the Kinnaur Tribal Committee during his tenure.
The statement angered the opposition, prompting Jairam Thakur and BJP MLAs to stage a walkout. In their absence, Jagat Singh Negi went on to comment on issues ranging from the Election Commission to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. When the opposition returned, BJP MLA Randhir Sharma strongly objected, demanding that Negi’s remarks be expunged from the Assembly record. Sharma said the minister’s behaviour was condemnable and defended the incident in Thunag, insisting it was not an insult to the tricolor.
Speaking to the media later, Revenue Minister Negi lashed out at the BJP’s move, declaring he knew “how to answer a brick with a stone.” He accused the opposition of misleading the people by giving a different color to the Thunag issue. “Today, when the truth was about to come out, they fled from the House. They do not even accept the Speaker’s ruling. Jairam Thakur only tries to provoke emotions,” Negi said.
Negi also alleged that in Thunag, BJP leaders had attempted to surround him and push their demand for a Horticulture College. “I will not tolerate such tactics,” he asserted.
With the BJP boycotting the Revenue Minister, the Assembly is expected to see further heated exchanges in the coming days.
