FIRs against those who insulted tricolour at Thunag will be cancelled if they apologise: HP CM

Shimla, Aug 18 (PTI) Police FIRs registered against people who insulted the national flag at Thunag would be cancelled only if they tender an apology, said Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday.

Participating in a discussion in the Assembly on natural disasters, he said the government would not allow any person to insult the tricolour.

Last month, BJP workers in Janjheli and Thunag areas, which suffered massive losses in recent disasters, held a protest and allegedly threw shoes and black flags on Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi's vehicle carrying the national flag during his visit to the area.

Mandi Police has booked more than 50 people under BNS sections 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 189 (2) (unlawful assembly), 190 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), and 191 (2) (rioting).

Janjheli and Thunag come under the Seraj Assembly constituency represented by former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur.

Addressing the legislative assembly, CM Sukhu said the relief package for Seraj would not be confined to that region only, but would be uniformly distributed across the state.

He added that Rs 250 crore had been released for people hit by the 2023 disaster, and the second instalment could not be released as some people had no land to build houses.

Sukhu said that the government was ready to provide funds for shelter homes, but it was not possible for them to give other land for the purpose unless the Forest Conservation Act and the Forest Rights Act were amended to provide land in forest areas.

Seeking the opposition's cooperation in this matter, he urged Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur to accompany him to Delhi to seek the Union Environment Ministry's approval, as not one biswa (45 sq mts) of forest land could be diverted without these laws being amended.

Refuting the allegations of not providing help to the disaster-hit Seraj Assembly segment, the chief minister said he was the first to reach Seraj after the disaster, while the deputy chief minister, ministers and officers were engaged in relief works.

Thakur was provided an NDRF helicopter, at the expense of the Congress government, for him to visit the far-flung areas of his constituency, Sukhu said.

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said the Jal Shakti department alone suffered a loss of over Rs 300 crore.

Officers and staffers of the department worked round the clock to temporarily restore the water supply, but huge funds are required for their permanent restoration, for which central help is required, he told the House. PTI BPL NSD NSD