Himachal Assembly session: BJP-Congress clash over national anthem, House adjourned
Jai Ram Thakur seeks video of anthem proceedings, demands apology from Sukhu; CM accuses BJP of insulting national anthem
The dispute over the non-rendition of Vande Mataram at the commencement of the Monsoon Session on Friday continued in the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Saturday, with BJP and Congress members locking horns over the issue.
The House witnessed uproarious scenes as treasury benches and Opposition MLAs raised slogans over the non-rendition of Vande Mataram and the alleged insult to the national anthem.
Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur raised the issue immediately after the Question Hour.
As both sides engaged in sloganeering, Speaker Kuldeep Pathania adjourned the House till 2 pm.
Refuting allegations that BJP legislators had insulted the national anthem on Friday, Thakur requested Speaker Kuldeep Pathania to play the video from when the national anthem was being played.
“An attempt is being made to create a perception that BJP legislators insulted the national anthem, which is totally false. The video recording of the House while the national anthem was being played must be played in the House to see who has insulted the national anthem,” he said.
He demanded that if no BJP MLA had insulted the national anthem, the Chief Minister should tender an apology, both inside and outside the House.
Responding to the Leader of Opposition, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the national anthem and national song are songs of the nation and not of any party, region or community.
“The Opposition is guilty of insulting the national anthem,” Sukhu reiterated amid sloganeering by the Opposition.
Sukhu countered BJP's slogans by raising counter-slogans against Opposition MLAs who were on their feet protesting against his remarks.
“The BJP does not even honour the Tricolour as they had flung shoes on the vehicle of the Revenue Minister which had the national flag on it. So they have no right to talk about insulting the national song,” he said.
The Chief Minister said Congress leaders had played an important role in the freedom struggle. “The BJP only indulges in theatrics and are trying to politicise the issue of national song and anthem,” Sukhu said.
