Thakur Criticizes Speaker’s Authoritarian Approach and Raises Alarm Over Himachal’s Financial Crisis

Shimla: Leader of the Opposition, Jayaram Thakur, has expressed grave concerns over the deteriorating financial condition of Himachal Pradesh, stating that the situation has worsened to the point of resembling an economic emergency. Thakur highlighted that the state’s financial crisis has deepened so much that employees and pensioners are left waiting for their salaries and pensions even as September begins. This delay, he argued, signals that the state is on the brink of financial bankruptcy.

In addition to the financial issues, Thakur also criticized the Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, accusing him of adopting a biased and authoritarian attitude. According to Thakur, the Speaker’s behavior both inside and outside the Assembly is undermining the dignity of the constitutional office. The BJP legislative party, under Thakur’s leadership, brought this to the attention of Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, seeking his intervention.

Thakur alleged that the Speaker consistently works against the rules and traditions of the Assembly to benefit the ruling party. He further mentioned an incident where the Speaker, during a speech, made undemocratic and unparliamentary remarks, claiming to have “decapitated” six MLAs and to have three more “suffering under his blade.” This, Thakur said, not only hurt the sentiments of the legislators but also tarnished the dignity of the Speaker’s position.

The BJP legislative party also submitted a resolution under Rule 274 to remove the Speaker from his post, but despite this, the Speaker continued to preside over the Assembly, which Thakur argued was ethically wrong. Furthermore, a motion under Rule 67 to discuss the state’s worsening economic situation was submitted by the BJP, but it was not taken up for discussion, leading the opposition to boycott the session.

In a meeting with the Governor, Thakur and other BJP leaders urged him to take appropriate action in light of the state’s dire economic situation and the Speaker’s alleged misconduct. The memorandum was submitted by Jayaram Thakur in the presence of several BJP leaders, including Randhir Sharma, Vipin Parmar, Anil Sharma, and others.