Protest at governor's residence by Congress 'illegal', 'unruly': Himachal BJP chief

Shimla, Nov 23 (PTI) The Congress leaders’ protest at the official residence of Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla last Thursday was completely "illegal" and an example of "unruly political conduct", state BJP president Rajiv Bindal said on Sunday.

Entering a high-security and restricted area like Raj Bhavan without permission, staging a protest, and burning the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly shows that the Congress party is willing to go to any extent to challenge constitutional norms, he said in a statement issued here.

The Youth Congress on Thursday held the protest against the alleged vote theft across the country, during which they burnt Modi's effigy.

Bindal said this act appears to be an attempt to create pressure on the governor, intimidate him, and force him into taking "unconstitutional decisions", describing the incident as a "direct attack on the democratic system".

The action by the Congress party is not only "unconstitutional" but also a blatant insult to democratic traditions, Bindal said and demanded that the state government immediately put an end to such "unlawful protests and activities targeting constitutional institutions", and take concrete steps to maintain law and order.

Expressing his displeasure over the incident, the governor had also sought a report from the DGP and Shimla's SSP on the protest, asking whether the Youth Congress had sought permission before the demonstration.

Meanwhile, Bindal said the state is currently facing a serious constitutional crisis. "The escalating conflict between the government and the election commission regarding the Panchayati Raj elections has made the situation even more complex," he said.

The poll body has submitted a detailed letter expressing concern over the prevailing situation, which proves that the government is infringing upon the powers of constitutional institutions, Bindal claimed.

"The present government is trying to suppress the democratic rights of panchayat pradhans, BDC members, ward panches, zila parishad members, and municipal representatives by exerting pressure on administrative officials," Bindal said, and further added that Congress is against the "very spirit of democracy and the Constitution itself".

In a notification issued on October 9, Chief Secretary and chairman of the State Executive Committee Sanjay Gupta had announced that the polls would be held "only after restoration of proper connectivity", considering the damage to roads and private and public property during the monsoon season.

On the other hand, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, along with other ministers, have maintained that the polls would be held on time.

Following these conflicting statements, the governor had said on Friday, "It is for the state government to decide if the minister is bigger or the bureaucrat." The election to over 3,500 gram panchayats in the state is slated for December 2025-January 2026. The last date for conducting the polls is January 23, and the state election commission had earlier also started the preparation of electoral rolls. PTI BPL PRK PRK