Khalistan flags and graffiti was found at HP Vidhan Sabha complex at Tapovan in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, a slugfest ensued between opposition and ruling party with Congress and AAP accusing government of lackadaisical approach on law and order while Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur vowed to take strict action against the guilty.
The Khalistan flags and graffiti was found on Sunday morning which sent the administrative machinery into tizzy and it was removed by the cops.
This led to cops registering a case under section 153-A, 153-B IPC and section 3 of HP Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985 has been registered against unidentified persons for placing flags and graffiti of Khalistan on the outer boundary of Vidhan Sabha.
After this, HP DGP Sanjay Kundu constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that will be headed by Santosh Patial, DIG-Intelligence & Security, Dharamshala with Puneet Raghu, Additional SP Kangra, Chander Paul, SDPO Jawalaji, Sushant Sharma, Dy SP CID Mandi, Sidharath Sharma, SDPO, Jawali, SHO PS Dharamshala and Incharge Police Post, Yol for the investigation of this case.
The SIT has been directed to take up the investigation of this case immediately and carry out professional and impartial investigation to ensure transparency. The SIT has also been directed to contact the State and Central intelligence agencies to unearth the inter-state and international linkages, if any, Kundu said.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur condemned the incident and said the complex is used for holding of winter session of state assembly hence there was the need for more security for police deployment is less while there is no activity or session is not being held.
The accused allegedly took advantage of this fact and affixed Khalistan flags and graffiti but the government won’t tolerate such things.
Strict action will be taken against the accused, he said in a statement while challenging them to come in the light of day and do such things in the dark of the night.
Congress party under the leadership of MLA Vikramaditya Singh staged a protest in Shimla on the issue and criticized the Jai Ram Thakur government for failing to take strict against the accused.
He said that such acts can’t be tolerated in a peaceful state like Himachal and only tricolour will be hoisted in the state and country.
He called for holding Thakur and DGP accountable for such acts and added the state government’s inactivity can be gauged from the fact that Kundu along with a minister were seen dancing on the day when police constable recruitment examination was cancelled after a case of paper leak had come to light.
AAP state spokesperson Gaurav Sharma too criticized the state government for lackadaisical attitude to law and order situation in Himachal and said it was a serious issue as the incident took place at assembly complex.