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The law and order situation in Himachal Pradesh has come under scrutiny once again as Dharamshala MLA Sudhir Sharma claims to have received a letter threatening him and his family of dire consequences.
Sudhir Sharma, who had rebelled against the Congress and got re-elected on the BJP ticket from Dharamshala, claims to have received the letter on February 5, 2025.
The handwritten letter was delivered via ordinary post to the residence of MLA Sudhir Sharma at Rakkar village in Dharamshala.
Sudhir was one among the six Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs whose rebellion had cost the party the lone Rajya Sabha seat when Harsh Mahajan had defeated Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Threats to kill MLA and his family
Upon opening the letter, it was found to contain threats to kill the MLA and his family.
Sudhir Sharma’s personal secretary Shubham Sood lodged a formal complaint at the Dharamshala police station, urging authorities to trace the sender and take strict action.
A BJP leader alleged that despite the serious nature of the threat, the police have only registered the complaint in their daily log and classified it as a non-cognisable offence, advising the complainant to pursue legal action separately.
“This passive response has fueled concerns about the government’s failure to ensure the safety of its legislators,” said the BJP leader.
Pattern of threats against MLAs, businessmen
This is not an isolated case. Over the past year, Himachal Pradesh legislators and businessmen have been threatened, raising questions about the state’s declining law and order situation.
In March 2024, disqualified Congress MLAs Rajinder Rana and Sudhir Sharma received a similar handwritten threat letter, warning them against mobilising support among other legislators.
Rana’s son Abhishek had publicly expressed fear for their safety, urging the authorities to take immediate action.
In January 2025, businessmen in Una district were targeted with ransom demands and death threats, prompting Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri to promise strict action against the culprits. However, no significant progress has been reported.
Several political figures, journalists and businessmen have reported receiving threats, yet investigations have yielded little to no results, leading to widespread criticism of the state government’s handling of law and order.
Jai Ram Thakur slams Sukhu government
Reacting strongly to the incident, former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur launched a scathing attack on the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government, accusing it of failing to maintain law and order in the state.
“When MLAs themselves are receiving death threats, how can ordinary citizens feel safe? The Sukhu government has completely failed in providing security. The police force seems helpless and criminals are operating fearlessly under this regime. Repeated incidents of threats against political leaders, businessmen and journalists prove that Himachal Pradesh is no longer safe. If the government does not act now, the situation will spiral out of control,” said Jai Ram Thakur.
He further questioned the government’s inaction, stating, “Where are the arrests? Where is the accountability? The people of Himachal Pradesh deserve answers. If this government cannot ensure the safety of its own legislators, it has no moral right to remain in power.”
