BJP Protests Himachal Pradesh Policies on Jobs and Gambling

The Bharatiya Janata Party staged a protest outside the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday to condemn state government policies regarding employment, gambling, and narcotics. Led by Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, BJP legislators specifically targeted the decision to resume lottery sales and the move to allow controlled cannabis cultivation.

Thakur criticized the lottery as an addictive habit that ruins families and youth, rejecting the Chief Minister's justification that the practice is a matter of luck. He noted that the state had previously stopped lotteries in 1999 because families were losing their money.

The opposition also accused the Congress-led government of failing to meet its promise of providing one lakh jobs annually. BJP legislators claimed the number of government employees has actually declined from 1.91 lakh to 1.72 lakh. The demonstration took place while the Assembly was actively debating employment generation in the state.