Congress govt suppressing dissent by misusing state machinery, says LoP

Mounting a sharp political offensive from the Ramleela Ground in Paonta Sahib of Sirmaur district, Leader of Opposition (LoP) and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur accused the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh of systematically targeting the Hindu community and suppressing dissent through misuse of state machinery. He alleged that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s administration remains trapped in an anti-Hindutva mindset, conspiring to jail members of Hindu organisations under false charges.

Referring to the recent communal unrest following the disappearance of a Hindu minor girl, Thakur lambasted the police for inaction, stating, “Despite knowing the girl’s whereabouts, authorities failed to act promptly, provoking unrest among villagers.”

He alleged that while BJP leaders like state BJP president Rajeev Bindal and MLA of Paonta Sahib Sukhram Chaudhary were trying to calm the situation, false cases of attempted murder were registered against them, while those involved in stone pelting from rooftops faced no consequences.

Thakur warned the administration against political vendetta, saying, “Governments come and go, but those who crush public sentiment must remember that the repercussions can be severe.” He demanded immediate release of arrested individuals and withdrawal of all cases filed against members of the Hindu community.

Rajeev Bindal echoed these sentiments and sharply criticised the Congress government’s “policy of persecution through coercion and intimidation.” He questioned why, despite the FIR filed on June 4 after the girl’s disappearance, no minister or Congress leader met either family or convened meetings to resolve the issue. “It was only due to public pressure that the couple was recovered on June 13,” he stated, congratulating the community for the safe return of the girl.

Bindal further alleged selective action by the administration. “Those who sparked violence remain untouched, while innocent locals are being slapped with serious charges. This exposes the Congress party’s vote bank politics,” he said. He also raised concerns over unchecked illegal mining, a thriving drug mafia and deteriorating law and order in Sirmaur district, attributing it to political patronage and administrative complicity.