Posters and Slogans Create a Stir in Winter Session
Dharamshala: The Himachal Pradesh Assembly’s winter session at Tapovan in Dharamshala took a dramatic turn on its second day on Thursday (December 19, 2024) as opposition BJP MLAs arrived with placards showing a wild rooster, a move linked to the ‘jungli murga’ (junglefowl) controversy that recently erupted in the state.
The BJP legislators shouted “Sukhu bhaiya, Sukhu bhaiya, jungli murga kisne khaya” (Mr CM, who ate the junglefowl?). The protest targeted the ruling Congress government over alleged consumption of a ‘jungli murga’, which is protected under wildlife laws, during Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s ‘Sarkaar Aap Ke Dwar’ event at Kupvi in Shimla district’s Chopal subdivision.
Ex-CM Jai Ram demands strict action
Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, addressing the media in the Assembly complex, demanded stringent action against those involved in serving ‘jungli murga’ for dinner at the CM’s event.
Citing the Wildlife Protection Act, Jai Ram criticised the lodging of an FIR against members of the media, calling it as “unjust”. Vowing to raise the issue in the Assembly, he emphasised the need for accountability. “The FIR should target those who killed and consumed the ‘jungli murga’, not the media reporting the issue,” he said.
FIR against media, BJP MLA sparks outrage
An FIR has been registered against print and electronic media houses, journalists and BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma, accusing them of circulating a fake menu allegedly to tarnish the reputation of Chief Minister Sukhu. The controversy erupted after the menu purportedly listed ‘jungli murga’ as part of a meal served during the CM’s December 13 visit to Kupvi.
Suman Chauhan, the pradhan of Kulag panchayat, and a resident, Neetu Parmar, filed complaints alleging that fake menu shared on social and print media tarnished the region’s cultural identity and traditional food practices.
Based on their complaint, the police registered a case under Sections 353 and 356 of the BNS. DSP Chopal, Sushant Sharma, confirmed the FIR.
