Himachal Assembly Vande Mataram controversy erupts during the monsoon session as Congress and BJP clash, forcing the House to adjourn within 11 minutes.
The monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly began with a political confrontation over the national anthem and Vande Mataram. The Himachal Assembly Vande Mataram controversy triggered heated exchanges between the ruling Congress and the BJP-led opposition, forcing the House to be adjourned within just 11 minutes.
The proceedings began at 11 am with the national anthem. Soon after, opposition members sought permission to sing Vande Mataram inside the House. When the request was not allowed, the disagreement quickly turned into a protest, with members raising slogans against each other.
Ruling and Opposition Members Clash
The Himachal Assembly Vande Mataram controversy escalated when ruling party members walked out of the House and accused the opposition of disrespecting the national anthem.
The opposition subsequently staged a protest outside the Assembly and alleged that the ruling Congress had disrespected Vande Mataram by refusing to allow its rendition. The confrontation resulted in strong political statements from both sides.
CM Sukhu Accuses BJP of Politicising the Issue
Speaking to the media outside the Assembly, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu accused the BJP of creating a controversy over the national anthem for political reasons.
Sukhu said the Congress respects both the national anthem and the national song. According to him, the established practice is to begin an Assembly session with the national anthem and conclude it with the national song.
The Chief Minister alleged that the BJP was attempting to gain political mileage by challenging the established traditions of the House. He also accused the opposition of trying to divert public attention from other issues.
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BJP Alleges Disrespect to Vande Mataram
BJP MLA Vipin Singh Parmar strongly criticised the government over the issue. He alleged that the Congress government had insulted the national song by refusing to permit Vande Mataram after the national anthem.
Parmar argued that the Assembly is not a political gathering and that matters connected with national symbols should be treated with due respect. He said the BJP would continue to oppose what it considers disrespect towards Vande Mataram.
The Himachal Assembly Vande Mataram controversy has therefore developed into a broader political dispute between the two parties.
Speaker Explains Assembly Rules and Traditions
Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania defended the decision and said the legislature has its own rules and traditions for conducting proceedings.
Pathania said several legislatures, including Parliament, have followed the practice of beginning sessions with the national anthem and concluding them with the national song. He stated that the opposition began protesting immediately after the proceedings started, leaving the Speaker with no option but to adjourn the House.
He also pointed out that the Leader of the Opposition was not present in the House at the time and described the opposition as being without its leader during the proceedings.
Speaker Says House Will Follow Its Own Procedure
On the Himachal Assembly Vande Mataram controversy, Pathania emphasised that the Assembly is an autonomous institution and its proceedings are governed by its rules, procedures and established conventions.
He also referred to the Constituent Assembly’s acceptance of the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram and maintained that the House would continue to function according to its established rules and traditions.
Assembly Proceedings Last Only 11 Minutes
The dispute had an immediate impact on the first day of the monsoon session. What was expected to be the beginning of legislative proceedings quickly turned into a political confrontation, with both sides accusing each other of disrespecting national symbols.
The Himachal Assembly Vande Mataram controversy brought the session to a halt within just 11 minutes. With the Congress and BJP taking sharply opposing positions, the issue is likely to remain a point of contention during the ongoing monsoon session.
For now, the Speaker has maintained that the Assembly will follow its established procedure, while both political camps continue to defend their respective positions over the national anthem and Vande Mataram.
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