The Himachal Pradesh Assembly's Monsoon Session was adjourned within 10 minutes of commencement on Friday after a fierce confrontation between the ruling Congress and Opposition BJP over the singing of the national song Vande Mataram.
What happened in the House
Proceedings opened with the national anthem, following which BJP members demanded that Vande Mataram also be sung at the start of the session. Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania referred to House rules, saying the national song is traditionally sung at the conclusion of the sitting. The BJP refused to accept the explanation and raised slogans, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House until 11 am the same day.
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| Session start | National anthem sung |
| Shortly after | BJP demanded Vande Mataram be sung immediately |
| Within 10 minutes | House adjourned until 11 am after slogans and disruption |
Claims and counter-claims
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu criticised the Opposition, accusing BJP MLAs of insulting the national anthem and of using the issue for political ends. According to the Chief Minister, the established practice is to sing the national anthem at the start of a session and the national song at its conclusion, and neither the government nor the Speaker had refused to allow the song to be sung in full.
"It is a matter of great regret that the Bharatiya Janata Party today insulted the National Anthem in the House," Sukhu said, according to reports.
Sukhu also alleged the Opposition was attempting to sideline BJP Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur in his absence and described the disruption as disrespectful to the departed souls for whom the House was observing mourning.
On its part, the BJP called the Congress disrespectful towards Vande Mataram. BJP MLA Vipin Singh Parmar said the Opposition had made a humble request to sing the national song at the commencement of the session but that permission was denied. Parmar also referred to a reported decision by the Congress Working Committee to sing only two stanzas of the song and characterised that as contrary to the law passed by Parliament and as an insult to freedom fighters.
Political context and immediate fallout
The walkout and slogans halted legislative business on the opening day of the Monsoon Session and led to heated exchanges both inside and immediately outside the Assembly. Each side accused the other of disrespecting national symbols, amplifying partisan tensions on a day meant for formal legislature business.
- Adjournment: House adjourned until 11 am after disruption.
- Procedure dispute: Speaker cited rules placing the national song at the end of the sitting.
- Allegations: CM accused BJP of insulting the anthem; BJP accused Congress of disrespecting Vande Mataram.
Why the sequence matters
The disagreement centred on parliamentary custom rather than on a new statutory change: officials cited established practice that the national anthem is sung at the outset of proceedings and the national song at the conclusion. The BJP's insistence on singing Vande Mataram at the start of the session turned procedural disagreement into a visible political confrontation, stalling the legislature.
Both parties framed the episode as a matter of respect for national symbols, while also using it to advance political narratives. The Chief Minister linked the disruption to broader accusations against the Opposition, characterising it as a diversion from allegations of corruption and paper leaks — assertions made publicly by him during the episode. The BJP maintained that its request had been reasonable and accused the ruling party of politicising the song.
Next steps
The House was scheduled to reconvene at the adjourned hour. How the Speaker will manage the immediate proceedings and whether the dispute will be raised again as a formal motion or referred to Assembly rules will determine whether this incident remains a brief interruption or precipitates a longer-running standoff during the Monsoon Session.
For now, the issue has sharpened partisan divisions on the opening day and placed questions of ceremonial practice and respect for national symbols at the centre of the state's legislative agenda.
