KANGRA: Senior Himachal Pradesh BJP leader and MLA Bikram Thakur has demanded immediate protection and support for the journalist who exposed a controversial Holi party held at the government-run Holiday Home in Shimla.
The event, allegedly organised at public expense by Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena and attended by senior bureaucrats and their families, has triggered a political storm in the state.
An MLA from Jaswan Pragpur in Kangra district, Bikram Thakur praised the journalist’s courage, saying, “At a time when freedom of expression is under increasing strain in Himachal, this journalist fulfilled his professional duty with integrity and bravery. It is the state government’s responsibility to ensure that no indirect pressure, retaliation or harassment is directed at him.”
He further called for the journalist to be given full security, warning the government against any covert attempts to silence media voices. “Suppressing the truth will only deepen the crisis of trust in governance,” he said.
Misuse of public funds amid debt crisis
The BJP MLA also raised serious objections to the Holi celebration, questioning the rationale behind such a lavish event when the state is grappling with a debt of over ₹1 lakh crore.
“This is a blatant misuse of public resources. It shows how disconnected the government and bureaucracy have become from the ground realities faced by citizens,” he said.
He alleged that organising such events at government expense violated not only public trust but also the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, which require honesty, impartiality and accountability from officers.
Call for impartial inquiry and disciplinary action
Bikram Thakur demanded a fair and independent probe into the entire episode and called for disciplinary action against those responsible.
“The state constitutionally bears the responsibility to uphold social welfare, transparency, and ethical governance. This incident fails on all those counts,” he said.
The controversy has added fuel to existing concerns around growing bureaucratic privilege, weakening accountability and increasing curbs on journalistic freedom in the state.
Chief Secretary Saxena, for his part, was quoted by a media house as saying that it was not a private party but a gathering of serving IAS officers. He also said that along with the Governor and the Chief Minister, he too was authorised to convene such gatherings.
S Gopal Puri
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