Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Tuesday, 25 August launched a sharp attack on the alleged corruption of the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, while also criticising the Opposition's conduct inside the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Shimla. Sukhu warned that a dedicated White Paper Committee would soon place all irregularities from the BJP tenure on public record.

White Paper Committee and Corruption Allegations

Speaking to reporters in the House, Chief Minister Sukhu said the White Paper Committee — constituted specifically to examine irregularities during the previous government's term — would 'soon present all facts to the people.' He alleged that the Opposition had no substantive issues to raise and was instead engaged in what he called 'issueless politics.'

Sukhu did not specify a timeline for the committee's report, but the announcement signals that the ruling Indian National Congress (Congress) government intends to keep the corruption narrative alive ahead of upcoming political cycles.

Opposition Walkout Draws Sharp Response

The Chief Minister expressed strong objection to the BJP's walkout during Question Hour on the issue of employment. He noted that the matter had already been debated for approximately half an hour and that the Speaker had given the Opposition sufficient opportunity to question the government.

'Despite this, going beyond the rules and insisting on asking additional questions and then walking out of the House is not in keeping with parliamentary decorum,' Sukhu said.

He added that the ruling side was fully prepared to respond to every question with facts, but argued the Opposition was 'looking for excuses to walk out instead of participating in the debate.' The House, he noted, still had significant matters related to health, employment, and public welfare on its agenda.

Agniveer Scheme Called an 'Injustice' to Himachal

Sukhu reserved some of his sharpest criticism for the Agniveer scheme, the Centre's short-term military recruitment programme, saying it had hurt Himachal Pradesh disproportionately. He argued the scheme had damaged the economies of military-dominated districts including Kangra, Bilaspur, Una, and Hamirpur by reducing regular army recruitment quotas.

Describing Himachal as the land of four Param Vir Chakra winners, Sukhu called the scheme an injustice both to the state's youth and to the country's soldiers. He reiterated his support for restoring regular army recruitment, saying the reduced intake had 'disappointed Himachal's youth.'

State Government's Employment Steps

On the employment front, Sukhu said the state government had already recruited 1,300 police constables and planned to fill an additional 1,000 posts in the near future. He also reaffirmed the government's commitment to veterans' welfare.

This comes amid broader tensions in the Assembly session, with the BJP and Congress trading accusations over governance and legislative conduct. With the White Paper Committee's findings still pending, the political temperature in Shimla is set to remain elevated.