TNR Desk
The Himachal Pradesh BJP has complained to the election authorities against Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu over his recent statement “Bhutto ko kutto” against BJP candidate Davinder Kumar Bhutto at a public function in Kutlehar Assembly constituency of Una district.
Bhutto is one of the six Congress rebel MLAs who had cross-voted in favour of the BJP in the recent Rajya Sabha election. The Congress lost the election and the Assembly Speaker disqualified all the six rebels in connection with a separate issued related to voting during the budget session.
In a written complaint filed with Himachal Chief Electoral Officer Maneesh Garg at his Shimla office, BJP state office secretary Pramod Thakur said, “On April 6, 2024, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu openly used the phrase ‘Bhutto ko kutto’ while addressing a public gathering. This statement is highly derogatory and offensive in nature. It not only shows a complete disregard for basic human dignity, but also has the potential to create an atmosphere of anarchy and unrest in the state.”
“The use of such language by the sitting CM vying for a position of power sends a wrong message to the people of Himachal Pradesh. It promotes a culture of hatred, division and intolerance among the citizens, which is detrimental to the democratic values that our country stands for.
We firmly believe that it is essential for the Election Commission to take immediate and strict action against Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for his offensive statement. Such behaviour is not only an infringement of the model code of conduct but also undermines the democratic process by inciting violence and animosity among citizens,” the party said.
The BJP said the use of such language by a sitting Chief Minister could set a “harmful precedent”. The BJP sought a thorough investigation and appropriate measures to prevent further disruption to the peaceful electoral process in Himachal Pradesh.
