Heated exchanges in Himachal Assembly over law and order situation in state

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly witnessed heated exchanges between ruling and opposition members on Tuesday when a BJP member raised the issue of law and order in the state citing police inaction against a local leader who had allegedly threatened a general manager of an Adani Group firm.

Another BJP member, Hans Raj, added that tourists from Punjab were indulging in violence and vandalism in Manikaran town in Kullu district.

Noisy scenes continued in the House for some time and order was restored after Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania's intervention.

Replying to the question by Trilok Jamwal on the incident involving Adani Group GM, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said an FIR has been registered at Barmana police station and an investigation is on.

The police investigation has found that the pistol used in the incident was a toy gun, which has been seized, and a case has been registered under IPC Section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), Sukhu said.

He said a personal security officer has been provided to the GM of a cement plant run by the Adani Group.

The chief minister said the government is capable of maintaining law and order and everyone visiting the state is welcome. He said action would be taken on a priority basis in case of a criminal activity.

However, a heated exchange ensued between Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and Hans Raj on the issue and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and other Congress MLAs were on their feet in support of CM Sukhu.

Replying to another question, the chief minister said the construction of the international airport at Balh in Mandi district would cost Rs 8,034 crore as on today and Rs 2,786 crore would be spent on land acquisition.

''This airport is the dream project of former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and we will surely materialise it and make efforts for arranging the funds and laying the foundation stone,'' Sukhu said.

Replying to another question, he said that during the past three years 332 applications were approved under the Forest Conservation Act and 164 applications were pending. During the same period, he added, 1,415 applications were approved under the Forest Rights Act and 395 applications were pending.

Replying to a question from Anil Sharma of the BJP, Sukhu said the matter regarding irregularities in the acquisition of land in Mandi Bazaar by the Public Works Department would be probed and action would be taken if anyone indulged in corruption.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Col Dhaniram Shandil informed the House that the number of skilled unemployed youth was 2,43,307, which included 12,339 tribal youth. Campus interviews and employment melas are being organised regularly by the labour and employment department, he said.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said the meeting of the Sports Council, which has not been held for the past five years, would be held soon.

“The previous BJP government did not implement a 3 per cent quota in jobs for sportspersons but the present government would consider increasing the sports quota,'' he said.