BJP legislators on Thursday staged a walkout from the Himachal Pradesh Assembly to protest against an alleged lathi charge on Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers in Dharamshala. The incident took place near the Zorawar Stadium, where ABVP activists had gathered to press their demands. The protest later turned into a clash between the police and the students’ organisation.
The walkout was led by Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, who raised the issue in the House after the Question Hour. He accused the state government and police of using force despite permission being granted for the protest march. BJP leaders said the police action was unjustified and demanded accountability.
Jai Ram Thakur told the Assembly that the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Dharamshala had given permission to the ABVP to hold a protest march towards the Zorawar Stadium. Despite this, he alleged, the police resorted to a lathi charge when ABVP workers arrived near the venue. He questioned why force was used when the protest had official approval.
The opposition leader also accused Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu of misleading the Assembly. Thakur said the Chief Minister had earlier stated that permission was not granted to the ABVP for the protest, which, according to him, was incorrect. He argued that this contradiction raised serious questions about the government’s handling of the situation.
According to ABVP leaders, several activists were injured during the clash. They claimed that women protesters were kicked by male police personnel, an allegation that caused strong reactions from the BJP. The ABVP demanded strict action against the police officials involved in the incident.
One of the main demands raised by the ABVP was the suspension of the station house officer (SHO) of Dharamshala. They alleged that after the protest, some ABVP workers were taken to a community hall where they were threatened and beaten by the police. The organisation said such actions were unacceptable and violated basic rights.
The clash occurred on Wednesday when ABVP activists gathered in large numbers and attempted to gherao the Vidhan Sabha. The situation became tense after a scuffle broke out between the police and the protesters at the Zorawar ground. Several people from both sides were injured during the confrontation.
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Defending the government, Chief Minister Sukhu said the police had only used mild force after the protesters broke rules. He stated that the ABVP had permission only to take out a protest march to the Zorawar Stadium, not to hold a sit-in or march towards the Assembly. According to him, the protesters tried to move beyond the permitted area and broke through police barricades, which led to the clash.
The Chief Minister said that during the incident, one male and three female police constables were injured. He also said that six people were injured overall due to the agitation. Sukhu added that the government was taking the matter seriously, especially reports that ABVP workers misbehaved with a female police constable during the protest.
Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania also referred to the Chief Minister’s statement while responding to the opposition. He said the ABVP had been allowed to hold only a protest march and not a sit-in demonstration. According to the Speaker, the police acted after the protesters violated the conditions of the permission granted.
Chief Minister Sukhu strongly criticised the BJP for staging a walkout. He said the opposition had done so for political reasons and not out of genuine concern. He claimed that BJP MLAs wanted to attend a party rally and used the ABVP incident as an excuse to walk out of the Assembly.
The Chief Minister also said that the ABVP activists blocked traffic for nearly three hours, even though they did not have permission to block roads. This caused inconvenience to the general public, he added. According to him, maintaining law and order was necessary, and the police had to act when the situation went out of control.
During the discussion, Jai Ram Thakur also raised another issue related to Youth Congress workers. He referred to an incident in November where Youth Congress activists allegedly burned and kicked an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi outside the Raj Bhavan. He questioned whether any action had been taken against those responsible and called the incident unfortunate.
Thakur argued that the government showed double standards by taking strict action against ABVP workers while allegedly ignoring actions by Youth Congress members. He said such selective action damaged public trust in the administration.
After raising these issues, the BJP legislative party announced its decision to walk out of the House. BJP MLAs then staged a protest outside the Vidhan Sabha complex at Tapovan near Dharamshala. They raised slogans against the government and demanded justice for the ABVP workers.
The incident has added to political tensions in Himachal Pradesh, with both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP trading sharp आरोप. While the BJP has accused the government of police excesses, the Congress has defended its actions as necessary to maintain order. The issue is expected to remain a point of debate in the coming days.
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