The Himachal Pradesh assembly’s six-day winter session, beginning Monday in Dharamshala, is expected to be stormy as the Opposition gears up to corner the Congress government on several issues, including law and order and the “failure to fulfil election promises”.
“The winter session has received 414 questions, including 291 starred and 123 unstarred, with legislators also submitting notices for discussions on key issues concerning the state,” Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said on Sunday.
The Opposition has recently intensified its criticism of the Congress government’s “disappointing” four-year tenure and is likely to rake up issues like the alleged economic crisis, the drug menace, and the management of public assets.
Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has said that the Opposition had raised several issues and submitted notices and questions that would be taken up during the assembly session. “I want to make it clear that ever since the Congress government came to power in the state, BJP legislators have maintained an aggressive stance, right from the first assembly session. The BJP has consistently opposed the government’s anti-people policies. This is the last winter session of the current assembly and it will be difficult for the government to give answers to our questions,” he told reporters last week.
Sulah MLA and BJP state vice-president Vipin Singh Parmar said, “There are several issues that the Opposition will raise in the House. The state government is systematically moving towards handing over valuable public properties to private operators. Nearly four years have passed, but the Congress government has yet to fulfil its election promises. Moreover, the state has witnessed a steady deterioration in the law and order situation, along with a rise in drug abuse.”
{{/usCountry}}Sulah MLA and BJP state vice-president Vipin Singh Parmar said, “There are several issues that the Opposition will raise in the House. The state government is systematically moving towards handing over valuable public properties to private operators. Nearly four years have passed, but the Congress government has yet to fulfil its election promises. Moreover, the state has witnessed a steady deterioration in the law and order situation, along with a rise in drug abuse.”
{{/usCountry}}Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, on Sunday, said, “As many as 414 notices of questions have been received from members for the session. Besides, 13 notices have been received under Rule 62, three under Rule 63, three under Rule 101 and nine under Rule 130. All notices have been forwarded to the government for necessary action.”
The questions raised by members largely concern the construction of roads and bridges, preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) for approved roads, upgradation of educational and health institutions, filling of vacancies in government departments, tourism, horticulture, drinking water supply, drug abuse among youth, rising crime and the transport system. Members have also highlighted key issues concerning their respective constituencies.
All-party meeting to ensure session’s smooth conduct
Meanwhile, an all-party meeting has been convened at 11am on Monday, ahead of the commencement of the session, to ensure its smooth conduct. The meeting will be attended by the parliamentary affairs minister, LoP, deputy chief whip of the ruling party and chief whip of the BJP legislature party.