Chaos Breaks Out in Shimla Assembly as Parties Clash Over Rashtriya Geet

Shimla witnessed a rare spectacle of chaos inside its legislative chamber on 21 August when the Himachal Pradesh monsoon session was interrupted after only ten minutes. The spark was the opposition’s demand that the Rashtriya Geet be sung together with the national anthem, a practice normally reserved for the end of a session.

Chairman Kuldeep Singh Pathania reiterated that the song is to be performed at the closing, but the opposition’s insistence turned into a chorus of slogans from both sides. Accusations surfaced that the Congress party was avoiding the national song and that the government’s stance was unpatriotic. The volatile exchange prompted the speaker to suspend the proceedings, scheduling a restart for Saturday at 11 a.m.

Jagat Singh Negi, a senior minister, urged the opposition to adopt a responsible approach, emphasizing that their role is to raise legitimate concerns and engage in dialogue on state issues. He also outlined monsoon‑related damages, estimating a total loss of about 1,000 crore rupees, with roads, electricity, water lines, houses and bridges among the affected assets. While the impact is lower than the previous year, repair work is ongoing as the monsoon continues to affect multiple districts.