Shimla: The third day of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly’s monsoon session is expected to remain politically charged, with the dispute over ‘Vande Mataram’ likely to resurface when the House meets on Tuesday.
The controversy has dominated proceedings since the beginning of the session, with repeated disruptions reported from both the ruling Congress and opposition BJP benches. Attention is now focused on Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, who may give a ruling on the issue during Monday’s proceedings.
Vande Mataram Row Takes Centre Stage
The disagreement began on the opening day of the monsoon session. The Assembly started with the National Anthem, but BJP legislators objected to the omission of ‘Vande Mataram’ at the beginning of the proceedings.
The issue quickly escalated into a confrontation between the two sides, resulting in an adjournment. The disagreement continued into the second day, preventing the House from conducting business smoothly for extended periods.
The BJP has maintained that its members showed due respect during the National Anthem and has rejected allegations that any legislator acted disrespectfully. Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur has also called for video footage of the proceedings to be made public, saying it would settle the dispute over what happened inside the House.
The Congress, meanwhile, has accused the opposition of turning the National Song into a political issue. Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi has argued that the Assembly should concentrate on issues directly affecting people, including unemployment, inflation, corruption, agriculture and the apple industry.
The established practice in the House is another point of contention. The National Anthem is traditionally played at the start of the Assembly session, while ‘Vande Mataram’ is sung at its conclusion.
BJP Plans to Put Government on the Spot Over Jobs
If the proceedings resume without a prolonged disruption, unemployment is expected to become another major flashpoint.
The BJP is preparing to seek a discussion on the employment situation through an adjournment motion. The opposition is expected to question the Congress government over its election commitment to create one lakh jobs every year, amounting to five lakh employment opportunities over five years.
The BJP claims the government has fallen short of the promise and intends to seek details about recruitment and employment generation during the current tenure.
The issue could lead to a heated debate over government vacancies, recruitment procedures and the implementation of the Congress’s employment commitments made during the Assembly election campaign.
‘Hindu Gujjar’ Certificate Issue to Come Up
Another matter expected to attract attention is the issuance of certificates carrying the ‘Hindu Gujjar’ designation.
Nalagarh MLA Hardeep Singh Baba has sought information from the Revenue Department on whether any instructions have been issued regarding the inclusion of the term in Gujjar certificates. He has also raised concerns about whether the practice could create difficulties for Sikh members of the Gujjar community seeking recruitment opportunities in the armed forces.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi is expected to respond to the question in the Assembly.
House Faces Another Test of Floor Management
With the Vande Mataram dispute still unresolved and the opposition preparing to raise unemployment and other public issues, the third day could prove crucial for the smooth functioning of the monsoon session.
Whether the Speaker’s ruling helps settle the controversy or leads to another round of political confrontation will be closely watched. At the same time, the BJP is likely to use the session to press the government on its employment commitments and other issues, while the ruling Congress is expected to defend its record.
The proceedings could therefore see a mix of procedural disputes and substantive policy debates as both sides prepare for another politically intense day in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly.
