Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators staged a protest outside the Himachal Pradesh vidhan sabha against what it termed the “failure” of Himachal Pradesh government to generate employment and its decision to resume lottery sales and allow controlled cannabis cultivation in the state.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jai Ram Thakur said, “Lottery was an addictive habit. Lottery was banned in the state in 1999 because many families lost all their money, trying their luck”. He said, “Lottery will ruin the youth as people will get addicted to it like any other drug addiction.”
“If the government wants to improve Himachal Pradesh’s economic condition, it needs better fiscal management and not a lottery,” said the LoP, while demanding immediate withdrawal of the decision to restart lotteries.
“Congress came to power with a promise of providing employment. But the situation on the ground is that the number of employees when BJP was in power was at an all time high of 1.91 lakh which has now dipped to 1.72 lakh,” Thakur said.
“The CM is misleading the state with figures on employment generation but it has failed to keep this promise,” he alleged.
{{/usCountry}}“The CM is misleading the state with figures on employment generation but it has failed to keep this promise,” he alleged.
{{/usCountry}}Hitting out at the state government for allowing controlled cannabis cultivation, Thakur said, “There is no clarity about cannabis cultivation so far. The committee constituted on the issue has made recommendations, but cultivation is yet to be started.”
Accuses govt of of withholding information, Congress retorts
The opposition was incensed when the government responded—to questions raised by BJP MLAs Sudhir Sharma and Vipin Singh Parmar regarding recruitments by the State Selection Commission—by stating that the information was still being compiled.
The BJP alleged that the government was concealing “crucial information”. Sharma pointed out that this question had been raised over the past three sessions, yet the response remained the same each time: that the information was being gathered. BJP MLA Vipin Singh Parmar also demanded an answer from the government on this issue.
He noted that for three consecutive sessions, the same reply—that information is being compiled—has been given. He argued that the question was not so complex that the information could not be made available.
CM Sukhu said, “There were several irregularities prior to the State Selection Commission. Comprehensive information is being collected, and a reply will be provided in the next session.”
Separately, BJP MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal sought full details regarding the foundation stones laid and inaugurations performed by the CM across the state up to January 31, 2026. Sukhu gave the same response to this question—that information is being gathered.
Reacting to this, the LoP asked, “Why is the government shying away from answering? The question seeks information that can be summarised in just two words; it is a task requiring only five minutes. What is the benefit of withholding information that is in the public interest?”