‘Jhand’ not unconstitutional word, Congress gave it unnecessary hype: Sudhir Sharma

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Dharamshala , August 17
BJP MLA from Dharamshala Sudhir Sharma on Sunday hit back at the Congress over the controversy surrounding his use of the word “jhand”, saying it was neither an abusive nor an unconstitutional term and that the opposition party had unnecessarily turned it into a political issue.
Sharma said the word was commonly used in everyday language and questioned the Congress for repeatedly highlighting his statement.
“I have a dictionary, and I know which word should be used where,” Sharma said, asserting that he chose his words carefully and that there was no justification for questioning his upbringing or values.
The BJP legislator said he was not responsible for the controversy that followed his remarks. He alleged that Congress workers had burnt his effigies at several places and made various comments against him.
Sharma said he had remained restrained despite several remarks by Congress leaders against him in the past. He also referred to comments made about his family and upbringing during the by-election, saying he had never reacted in a similar manner.
Targeting the Congress central leadership and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Sharma said Congress leaders should first examine their own statements and language before criticizing others.
On the possibility of a cabinet expansion and reshuffle in the state, Sharma claimed that internal pressure politics was taking place within the Congress.
He said speculation over a cabinet expansion and reshuffle had intensified following Chief Minister Sukhu’s recent visit to Delhi.
Sharma said several Congress leaders were his friends and that he remained in touch with them. He claimed many leaders were caught in a difficult situation and were neither able to openly oppose the government nor accept the prevailing circumstances.
The BJP MLA further claimed that public pressure on the government was increasing as people were complaining about a lack of development work.
He alleged that political compulsions and attempts to protect positions drove the statements by Congress leaders, adding that such remarks did not affect him.