Himachal Pradesh Congress and CPM on Tuesday raised questions on the shorter duration of the budget session of the state assembly and claimed that the BJP government is doing so to avoid opposition’s queries on various issues concerning the state.

The Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri said the BJP had shortened the duration of the budget session which was against the set norms to avoid tough questions in the election year.

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He also raised questions as to how the government will complete the set norm of 35 sittings of the state assembly in a year.

“Various issues pertaining to government employees and outsource workers have remained unresolved in the four years rule of the present government. In fact, the state government has left various financial liabilities as pay commission benefits for last year.

Besides this, there is the issue of the old pension scheme for which the government employees are raising concern,” he added.

Agnihotri stated that outsource recruitments were only being done in two assembly constituencies and it seems that the BJP was trying to adjust its workers by backdoor entry.

He also raised the issue of the hooch tragedy in which seven persons were killed and today’s explosion in an illegal firecracker factory in the Haroli area of Una district.

“What is the BJP government doing on these lapses. Was there no input on the operation of illegal firecracker factory or illegal liquor making units in the state from the Excise or Police department,” he said.

He stated that illegal mining was going on in the state and the government had failed to take any action against such persons.

CPM member Rakesh Singha too raised the issue of shorter duration of assembly session and said the opposition members should be given more time to voice their concerns on various issues.

“The assembly is meant to regulate laws in the state. There is the need to regulate fees in schools and the functioning of the private universities in the state but the state government has failed to take any concrete action on these issues. Besides, there are several issues pertaining to government employees, Anganwari workers, outsource employees and people of the state for which more time was needed,” he added.

He stated that he had raised the issue with Parliamentary Affairs minister Suresh Bhardwaj who had assured to talk to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on the issue.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Jai ram Thakur said the government was fully prepared for the budget session and they will give fitting response to the questions of opposition members.