BJP stages walkout of Himachal assembly over monsoon fury discussion; Revenue minister, opposition MLA trade barbs

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 23 (ANI): The discussion on the rain-related disaster situation under Rule 67 concluded on the fifth day of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly's monsoon session with high drama, as the Opposition staged a walkout before Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi could respond.
As soon as Negi rose to reply to the debate, Opposition MLAs quietly walked out of the House, accusing him of using "unparliamentary language" inside and outside the Assembly. The Opposition also announced that they would neither ask questions nor listen to any answers from the minister during the session.
Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, former minister and BJP MLA Vipin Singh Parmar accused the Revenue Minister of disrespecting Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and insulting disaster-affected people. Parmar said the government failed to provide immediate relief to the worst-hit areas, particularly Mandi and Seraj in Mandi district, and that citizens themselves came forward to distribute aid.
"After God, the government is the only hope for people in distress, but the Chief Minister is not serious and the Revenue Minister harbours malice," said Parmar, adding that the government's approach was insensitive.
Parmar also targeted the Congress party over its "Vote Chor, Kursi Chhod" programme, alleging that the party had looted the country for years and was now questioning the BJP. He said the event in Shimla exposed Congress's internal factionalism, with slogan-shouting and pushing between two groups in front of the party's state in-charge.
"The Congress has been wiped out across the country and will also vanish from Himachal due to its own policies," Parmar said.
The Opposition, however, boycotted Negi's reply and refused to return to the House for the conclusion of the debate.
Inside the House, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi hit back, holding the previous Jai Ram Thakur government responsible for the scale of the disaster. He alleged that between 2018 and 2022, Seraj lost around 23 percent of its forest cover due to indiscriminate tree felling, with 56 cases under investigation. He said the deforestation case in Shikari Devi was pending in the High Court.
Negi further alleged that the previous government favoured certain people who, in turn, funded Jai Ram Thakur.
"Blank cheques were taken to distribute money among BJP supporters. Jai Ram Thakur should submit a white paper within seven days with the names of the beneficiaries," the minister said. (ANI)