Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, March 20
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly witnessed uproar during the Budget Session on Friday after Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur accused the state government of using police officials to tap the phones of opposition leaders instead of cracking down on drug traffickers.
The allegation came during Zero Hour, when the opposition raised the issue of the spread of “chitta” (synthetic drugs) in the state, triggering a heated exchange between the treasury benches and the BJP.
Thakur alleged that while the government claimed to be acting firmly against drugs, police officials were instead focused on placing opposition leaders under surveillance in order to “please the government”.
He further claimed that during the Rajya Sabha election, opposition leaders’ phones were allegedly monitored on a large scale without permission from the Home Department.
The BJP leader said the issue reflected misplaced priorities, alleging that instead of taking strong action against drug smugglers, the administration was targeting political opponents.
Thakur also accused the government of failing to curb the spread of narcotics, saying drug abuse had reached villages across Himachal Pradesh during the Congress government’s three-and-a-half-year tenure. He said the state government was resorting to symbolic campaigns, including public anti-drug events, while failing to ensure meaningful action on the ground.
The opposition also alleged that some police personnel associated with the Special Task Force formed to act against drugs were themselves linked to narcotics-related activities, raising serious questions over the functioning of the anti-drug mechanism.
As the confrontation intensified, opposition members raised slogans inside the House and later staged a walkout in protest.The ruling side rejected the criticism during the debate, as sharp exchanges continued over the government’s handling of the drug menace and the opposition’s allegations of surveillance.
The allegations made by Thakur have added a political dimension to the ongoing debate over drug abuse in Himachal Pradesh, with the BJP seeking to corner the Congress government over both law and order and alleged misuse of police machinery.
