Shimla: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief spokesperson Rakesh Jamwal has sharply criticized the Indian National Congress government in Himachal Pradesh over the organization of the state-level Haroli Utsav. Jamwal alleged that the event, despite being a government-organized festival, was converted into a political platform for the ruling party.
He stated that the festival is an administrative event, chaired by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and conducted under the supervision of the District Commissioner (DC). According to him, inviting Congress in-charge Rajni Patil to the event’s closing ceremony raises serious questions about administrative neutrality.
“When an event is officially organized under the administrative framework, with the SDM as chairman and the DC overseeing it, inviting the Congress in-charge clearly amounts to misuse of government machinery,” Jamwal said.
He further objected to the inclusion of Advocate General Anup Rattan in the program, saying the position is a constitutional one and that participation in politically influenced events could compromise constitutional propriety.
Jamwal accused the government of using the administrative system for political gains. “Instead of maintaining neutrality, the administration appears to be promoting the political agenda of the ruling party, which is a dangerous trend for democracy,” he said.
He also remarked that the event reflects a blurring of lines between government and party affairs. “This is a direct misuse of public resources to benefit a political party,” he added.
Jamwal concluded that the BJP will raise this issue strongly and expose what he termed as the Congress government’s “misuse of constitutional offices, administrative decline, and politicization of government events.”
