Munish Sood
Mandi
The second day of the Himachal Pradesh Budget Session witnessed yet another major confrontation between elected representatives and the state bureaucracy, as growing resentment among Congress ministers and MLAs over “unresponsive officers” echoed strongly on the floor of the Assembly.
After Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and senior minister Vikramaditya Singh recently expressed displeasure over officers allegedly ignoring political leadership, Congress MLA from Gagret, Rakesh Kalia, became the latest leader to openly target what he described as an increasingly “fearless” and unaccountable bureaucracy in the state.
Officers Not Listening to MLAs and Ministers
Kalia’s intervention began with a sharp attack on the attitude of several officials, accusing them of disregarding elected representatives and functioning without accountability.
He complained that many officers do not even respond to legislators, often refusing to take phone calls from MLAs. The Congress MLA urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to take strict action against such officers, warning that the situation was becoming intolerable for public representatives.
In a dramatic statement inside the House, Kalia said that if his “mind snapped,” he would not hesitate to lead a large-scale protest against officials.
“I will sit on a dharna with 300 people against such officers,” he warned, highlighting the depth of frustration among lawmakers.
His remarks reflected a wider sentiment within the ruling party that bureaucrats are becoming increasingly bold, allegedly operating beyond political control and ignoring the concerns raised by ministers and MLAs.
A Larger Rift Within Governance
Kalia’s outburst is being seen as part of a growing pattern in Himachal Pradesh, where ministers and legislators have repeatedly voiced concern that officers are becoming too powerful and indifferent to the authority of elected representatives.
The political question now being raised openly is:
On whose backing have officers become so fearless that they feel no pressure to listen to ministers and MLAs?
The issue of bureaucratic high-handedness is emerging as a serious governance challenge for the Sukhu government, with leaders demanding stronger discipline and responsiveness within the administration.
Benami Land Deal Allegations Raised
After strongly flagging the issue of officer arrogance, Kalia moved on to another major controversy, raising allegations of benami land transactions in Gagret and around the Gaggal airport area.
He claimed that large-scale benami purchases were taking place and accused a retired Chief Secretary from Uttarakhand of acting as a central figure behind these transactions.
According to Kalia, such land deals first surfaced in Gagret and are now being reported near the Gaggal airport region. He even alleged that the retired officer had played a role in attempts to destabilise the Himachal government.
During his speech, Kalia repeatedly referred to the former official as a “sugar daddy” and alleged that an undesirable political culture was being introduced into the state.
FIR and Compensation Concerns
Kalia further pointed out that an FIR involving an alleged fraud of Rs 8 lakh had already been registered against the retired officer in Gagret, demanding strict action in that case as well.
He also raised questions over compensation linked to land acquisition for the Gaggal airport project, suggesting irregularities in the process.
CM Sukhu Announces SIT Probe
Responding to the allegations, Chief Minister Sukhu assured the House that the matter would be investigated thoroughly.
He announced that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) would probe the benami land transactions and promised strict action once facts are established.
The Chief Minister asked Kalia to submit all documents and evidence related to the matter, directing that copies be provided to him and the Director General of Police.
Fearless Bureaucracy Becomes Key Political Flashpoint
While the benami land allegations remain serious, the larger political message from Tuesday’s heated exchange was clear: the Congress government is facing mounting internal pressure over what lawmakers describe as a bureaucracy that has become “fearless,” unresponsive, and unchecked.
With ministers and MLAs repeatedly raising the issue inside the Assembly, the confrontation between elected representatives and officers is fast emerging as one of the most significant fault lines in Himachal’s governance debate.
