SHIMLA, 27.03.25-Principal Advisor (Media) to the Chief Minister, Naresh Chauhan in a press statement issued from Shimla today said that the ‘Halla Bol’ rally organised by the BJP during the ongoing budget session of the HP Vidhan Sabha Assembly was a futile attempt to divert attention from issues of public importance. He said that the rally exemplified the BJP’s inclination towards chaos, disruption and anarchy.

Shri Chauhan said that the Assembly session provides elected representatives ample time and a legitimate platform for serious deliberations on matters of public interest. However, instead of actively participating in legislative proceedings, the Opposition chose to boycott the session and created an atmosphere of unrest and utter chaos outside the Assembly by levelling baseless allegations against the functioning of the state government. He said that the BJP's attempts to corner the government over an alleged ‘mafia raj’ in the state were unsuccessful, as the Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, along with Ministers and Congress MLAs, had already presented a comprehensive response inside the Assembly which also presents the government's position, commitments and future plans for the development of the state.

Naresh Chauhan said that the BJP’s rally reflected its intellectual bankruptcy and exposed its deep frustration over inadequate strength within the Assembly. Moreover, the event made it evident that the BJP stands isolated both inside and outside the House, whereas public support remains firmly with the Congress government.

Taking a jibe at the opposition, he said that the very ‘mafia raj’ the BJP is talking about actually flourished unabated during its own tenure. Since the Congress government took office, mafias have been pushed to the margins and are now fleeing due to stringent legal actions. He said that it is this crackdown on mafias that the BJP finds unbearable.

He also highlighted the government's firm stance against drug trafficking and said that strict measures have been put in place, including the provision for property confiscation of those involved in drug trade. During the Budget Session, the government introduced the Himachal Pradesh Organised Crimes (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2025, which prescribes the death penalty or life imprisonment for drug traffickers. The Bill also includes fines of up to Rs. 10 lakh and covers a wide spectrum of organised crimes such as illegal mining, deforestation, wildlife trafficking, human organ trade, hazardous waste dumping, financial fraud, cybercrime, extortion, forgery, food adulteration, and match-fixing.

Additionally, Himachal Pradesh Drugs and Controlled Substances (Prevention, De-Addiction and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2025, tabled in the Assembly provides for the establishment of rehabilitation centres, the creation of a dedicated fund for rehabilitation initiatives, and stringent penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for those caught with narcotic substances. Notably, government employees found in possession of drugs will face penalties one-and-a-half times stricter than those prescribed for others.

Reaffirming the Congress government’s commitment to a mafia-free and corruption-free administration, Naresh Chauhan highlighted that under the decisive leadership of the Chief Minister, stringent measures have been taken against paper-leak mafias. To ensure transparency in recruitment exams, the government dissolved the Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Board, which had been mired in corruption allegations, and established a new State Selection Commission in its place.

He said that the Congress government since its inception has remained steadfast in its commitment to good governance, transparency and public welfare and no amount of BJP’s disruptive tactics will deter it from fulfilling its promises to the people.