Shimla, August 21: Jai Ram Thakur, former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and leader of the opposition, stated on Thursday that the opposition will adopt a constructive approach in the upcoming monsoon session starting Friday.
Speaking to the media after attending an all-party meeting, Thakur emphasized that if the government takes their concerns seriously, they will offer support. However, if attempts are made to sidestep issues, the opposition will become the voice of the public both inside and outside the assembly, compelling the government to heed their demands.
He urged the state government to recognize the seriousness of the assembly proceedings. If the Chief Minister and his ministers speak the truth, their words will be acknowledged. Conversely, any attempt to suppress democratic voices will be met with a strong response from the opposition.
Thakur reiterated that the opposition is committed to strengthening democracy. They will make every effort to ensure that the public’s voice is effectively raised. He noted that many issues depend on the government’s behavior. The opposition will not overlook matters of public interest. Recently, the government has been filing cases against public representatives out of a sense of vendetta, which is not an appropriate process. Serious allegations should be investigated, but attempts to silence the opposition will not be tolerated.
The BJP leader remarked that the state government should have focused on development; unfortunately, they have been preoccupied with lockdown measures.
He also raised concerns during the all-party meeting regarding the assembly speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania. Thakur pointed out that for the past four years, whenever an opposition member asks a question, they are told that information is being gathered, which undermines the dignity of the assembly. While officials provide information to the government, ministers and the Chief Minister (Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu) deliberately claim that data is still being collected. Some department heads intentionally withhold information, forcing the opposition to utilize the Right to Information (RTI) Act to obtain the necessary details. This issue needs to be taken seriously.
Meanwhile, Speaker Pathania informed the media that the all-party meeting was convened to ensure the smooth functioning of the upcoming monsoon session. He noted that such meetings are considered important before the session begins.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan, opposition leader Jai Ram Thakur, and Deputy Chief Whip Keval Singh Pathania were present at the meeting. The Speaker appealed to all members of both the ruling Congress and opposition BJP to fully cooperate for the smooth operation of the assembly.
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