Opposition targets govt over ‘anti-employee’ policies
Sourabh Sood
Dharamshala: The third day of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly’s winter session on Friday (November 28, 2025) saw high drama even before proceedings began, with legislators from the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP clashing in the Assembly complex.
Tensions escalated early in the morning as BJP MLAs accused the Sukhvinder Sukhu-led Congress government of failing to address the concerns of state employees and pensioners. Under the leadership of Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, the BJP staged a protest inside the Assembly premises, raising slogans against what they called an “anti-employee” government.
The protesting MLAs carried placards demanding timely gratuity for retired employees, release of medical allowances, and regular pension payments.
Across the complex, Congress legislators countered with their own demonstration, targeting the Centre for what they alleged was inadequate financial support to the state. Shouting slogans such as “Sadda haq, etthe rakh”, the treasury benches accused the BJP-led Union government of withholding crucial funds. For several minutes, both camps engaged in heated slogan-shouting, turning the Assembly grounds into a political battleground.
Opposition storms into well; House adjourned for 10 minutes
Inside the House at Tapovan, the question hour once again became a flashpoint. As soon as proceedings started, Jai Ram Thakur stood up repeatedly seeking permission to speak. Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania urged the opposition to allow question hour to continue, noting that the session had already seen two consecutive days of disruptions.
But the opposition refused to back down. While treasury MLAs continued asking questions, BJP members kept raising slogans. At 11:25 am, opposition MLAs rushed into the well, clapping and surrounding the Speaker’s chair amid loud protests. With the commotion intensifying, the Speaker adjourned the House for ten minutes at 11:27 am.
Speaker’s repeated appeals go unheard
Speaker Pathania repeatedly reminded the opposition that he had already ruled — with the consent of the House — that question hour would proceed irrespective of adjournment motions. He appealed several times to the BJP MLAs to return to their seats, stressing that important questions concerning public interest were listed for the day.
Despite the Speaker’s requests, opposition members continued demanding action against Minister Jagat Singh Negi and persisted with slogans targeting the government. As a result, the question hour remained disrupted for the third straight day.
Pensioners rally in Dharamshala’s Zorawar stadium
At Dharamshala’s Zorawar Stadium, thousands of pensioners gathered under the banner of the Pensioners’ Welfare Association to protest against the state government over unresolved demands. Heavy police deployment was made at the venue to maintain order as the crowd raised slogans urging the government to meet their long-pending issues.
Earlier in the day, Jai Ram Thakur reviewed preparations for the BJP’s upcoming rally scheduled for December 4 at the same venue. Several senior party leaders and MLAs were present during the inspection.
