War of words rocks Himachal Vidhan Sabha

Former Speaker and BJP MLA Vipin Singh Parmar, along with Rakesh Jamwal and other Opposition members, has moved a privilege motion under Rule 75 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly against Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi. The Opposition has accused Negi of using provocative and unparliamentary language during the ongoing winter session.

A day earlier, Negi had himself filed a privilege motion against the Leader of the Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, levelling similar allegations. Confirming both developments, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania informed the House that the motions were under active examination as per Rule 75, which governs procedures for raising breaches of privilege or contempt of the House.

Tensions escalated during Zero Hour when Negi stood to announce the privilege motion against the LoP and pressed for action from the Speaker’s Chair. Parmar objected sharply, alleging that the Revenue Minister had made derogatory remarks about the RSS, the LoP and several BJP MLAs. What followed was a heated exchange between the two leaders, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House for 10 minutes.

When the session resumed, the Speaker assured members that all “non-decorous” and “unparliamentary” expressions made by legislators from both sides would be identified and expunged after a detailed review. He urged the House to cooperate to ensure smooth proceedings.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur also intervened, underscoring the importance of preserving the dignity of the Assembly. Both leaders appealed to members to refrain from making personal or inflammatory remarks and to uphold decorum in the House.