National Anthem Row Brings Himachal Assembly Business to Standstill for Second Day. BJP-Congress Face-Off Over National Anthem Invokes Public Ire
SHIMLA, AUGUST 22:
The continuing BJP-Congress face-off in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly over the National Anthem and Vande Mataram is beginning to invoke public ire, with people expecting their elected representatives to debate issues that directly affect their lives rather than turn the House into a battleground over what many see as a frivolous political controversy.
Nearly 80 years after Independence, the people of India are mature enough to understand the meaning of patriotism. What they expect from their legislators is performance, accountability and solutions—not repeated walkouts, slogan-shouting and political grandstanding over issues that can hardly improve their daily lives.
In Shimla, the state capital, residents continue to struggle for something as basic as drinking water, with supplies in some areas reportedly coming after gaps of three days.
Turbidity and silt in water sources remain recurring problems every monsoon, yet the Assembly has spent two consecutive days witnessing political confrontation instead of a sustained debate on fixing the city's chronic water crisis.
The concerns extend far beyond Shimla. Prices of essential commodities continue to squeeze household budgets, while crop failures are adding to the distress of farmers and horticulturists.
For a state whose rural economy is heavily dependent on agriculture and horticulture, repeated crop losses demand serious policy intervention, compensation and long-term solutions—not political rhetoric.
Then comes the biggest challenge facing the state's young population: jobs. With more than 10 lakh unemployed youths—as claimed by various political and public platforms—the growing frustration among educated youngsters cannot simply be brushed aside.
Young people who spend years acquiring degrees and professional qualifications are asking a basic question: Where are the jobs promised to them?
Both Congress and BJP have repeatedly made tall promises in election manifestos. Once in power, however, many of those promises remain unfulfilled or move at a painfully slow pace.
The electorate has every right to demand that political parties be held accountable for what they promise before elections and what they actually deliver after assuming office.
The Assembly is meant to be the state's highest forum for debate, scrutiny and accountability.
It should be discussing why drinking water systems fail every monsoon, why prices continue to rise, why farmers suffer repeated crop losses, why educated youth remain unemployed and why government promises remain unfulfilled.
Instead, the second consecutive day of disruption has reinforced the perception that political parties are more interested in scoring points against each other than addressing the concerns of ordinary Himachalis.
Patriotism does not need daily certification from the Assembly floor. Governance does.
The people are watching. They expect their MLAs—irrespective of party—to return to the House, debate the real issues and find solutions.
MLAs are paid from the public funds to attend the House, participate in debates and, above all, make the government accountable for its decisions, failures and actions.
Each Vidhan Sabha-- same hold true for Lok Sabha as well- session cost crores of rupees and entire babdom as at back and call of the government during Assembly.
Their mandate is not merely to raise slogans, stage walkouts or trade political accusations, but to question, scrutinise and seek answers on behalf of the people who elected them.
When the Assembly is paralysed over issues that could have been settled through debate, the real losers are the taxpayers and citizens whose concerns remain unheard.
At nearly eight decades of Independence, the nation has moved far beyond symbolic political battles.
The time has come to measure patriotism not by slogans, but by performance, accountability and the ability to deliver for the people.
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