Himachal Pradesh, the State of Serene calm, the place that was once embraced by the best minds of India, the region that shadows the north of Bharata.
Situated at an average height of 6,000 meters the hilly state is one of the few regions that retains itself in significant proportion.
But the Region once served by the mighty Katoch’s, home to a population engulfed in thoughtfulness, agriculture, and handicrafts now witnesses a starkly different reality.
As of December 12th 2024, Himachal is under the rule of the Congress, which marks two years of the Sukhu government.
But the Himachal story has some challenges to say the least.
Let’s discuss:
In 2022 the people of the Dev Bhoomi, elected the Congress to administrate the state with a bumper majority, they won 40 out of the 68 seats.
Congress campaigned on issues like subsidised power, more employment, Free Handouts of cash and similar promises which were seemingly music to ears to a large section of the voter base, as evident from the election results.
As the time progressed the economic, financial and most shockingly cultural situation has got only worse.
The Mosque Pop-Ups:
The Issue of Land Grab by the Waqf is very much a national phenomenon but it stands out even more in states like Himachal Pradesh, where the geography is such that nearly two thirds of the state is covered in forests, and the places where the population resides are generally very well connected in terms of societal know how.
Basically meaning you would know your neighbours very well, you would know their ideas, beliefs and customs and although the atmosphere is very accepting, the Himachalis much like any other group of people would not like their culture to be undermined or the harmony to be broken.
But the recent incidents of Mosques claiming more and more land has been the cause of bitter experience among the masses.
For a fact the state now has an active clash over a mosque in nearly every district:
The most prominent ones being:
1) Sanjauli Mosque – Shimla
2) Basoli Mosque – Una
3) Jama Masjid – Kullu
4) Jail Road Mosque – Mandi
The situation is so dire that even sitting Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh, questioned the legality of the Mosque in Sanjauli, stating, “They started the construction without approval. It was an illegal structure. First, one floor was built, then the rest followed.”
But the abrupt response from his own party members was an evident disappointment. MLA Harish Jaratha waved the incident off stating that there was no tension in the region and hinted that people protesting and speaking against the Mosque were the people who blew up the issue.
That Apprehensive stance was echoed in Chief Minister Sukhu’s statement as well, when he remarked, “Peaceful protests will be respected, but no one will be allowed to disrupt law and order in the state”.
One would argue that they may be worried about the backlash from the high command, and although that is not a stance anyone would hold in high regards but it’s sort of understandable.
But what is not understandable is the silence of the Himachal administration on the unabashed insults that were hurled at the tradition of the Himachalis.
Insult on Tradition:
You see, when the illegal mosque cases were the hot topic, some Obtuse individuals from certain sections of the political spectrum began to mindlessly attack the graceful traditional dance “Nati”.
The folklore that dates back to the times of the great tale of Mahabharat, the history of Pandavas and displays unity, joy and heritage was to be abandoned as it was apparently “terroristic” in nature.
For Context Himachal had the last major terror incident in 2006 in Kullu, which was orchestrated by militant outfits from Pakistan.
Anyways, Coming back to the point, after all of this, one would expect some section of the administration to defend and speak out against the disappointing turn of events.
I mean after all they were really aiming for harmony in the state from their statements mentioned above.
But for all it is worth no such notable condemnation ever came. Most importantly, the Congress government in the state has been caught wanting to take stern action against illegal immigrants, which in turn has been one of the major concerns for the locals in the backdrop of a spike in heinous crimes against women, minors and humanity. The issue of demographic change and the mushrooming of illegal structures has also stressed the Himachali culture and pristine biodiversity of the hilly state.
The Financial Crises in Himachal Pradesh
Apart from silence on matters of culture, the Sukhu government has colossally tainted the finances of the state.
As a matter of fact the Congress’s campaign intensively focused on the distribution of Handouts, now that is not new, in practical terms every state does that
1) The AAP in Delhi
2) The Congress in Karnataka
3) The BJP in MP
But unlike those states Himachal is overtly based on tourism.
Tourism comprises nearly 7-8 percentage points of the state GDP and although that is less compared to states like Rajasthan where it is around 15 percent.
But since Himachal in significant parts also depends on agriculture more so on Apple Agriculture, a bad season in the field can severely impact the state’s treasury.
Notably the Geography of the state is such that it is prone to floods and landslides, which may impact the produce.
2023 saw a lower than average Apple Produce, a terrible monsoon and a Himachal that deluged deeper into the already strained finances.
A report on the 2023 monsoon disasters in Himachal Pradesh noted extensive damage to hydropower projects, transmission lines, and forest land due to landslides, with the state estimating losses exceeding Rs 12,000 crore.
Additionally, Himachal’s fiscal debt for 2024-25 has risen to 42.5% of its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), up from 40% in 2022-23.
This is notably higher than the average ratio of other states.
One of the more evident instances of the financial trouble was seen in August of 2024, when the administration stopped the salaries of its top ministers for a period of two months.
The Chief Minister admitted to the condition and remarked “We have tried to increase the state’s income and reduce unproductive expenditure but these efforts will take time to bear fruit”.
Another development aptly sums up the fiscal condition of the state under the Congress regime. In an embarrassing loss of face, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on 18th November ordered the attachment of Himachal Bhavan in Delhi after the state government failed to clear outstanding electricity dues of nearly ₹150 crore.
While the situation in Himachal Pradesh is not entirely bleak, there seems to be a lack of efficiency and proactive governance.Unfortunately, the negatives appear to outweigh the positives.
This concludes our article. We truly appreciate your time and would love to hear your thoughts on this pressing issue.
