BJP MLAs reach Himachal assembly carrying cow dung to mark protest

Dharamsala: Opposition BJP legislators on Wednesday reached the Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly here carrying cow dung as a mark of protest against the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu for not fulfilling the guarantee of purchasing dung at Rs 2 per kilo.

"The Congress has cheated the farmers by giving false poll guarantee of purchasing cow dung at Rs 2 per kilo," Leader of Opposition, and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur told IANS.

The legislators staged a protest in the premises of the assembly before the onset of the day's proceedings in the House.

Besides buying the cow dung to strengthen the rural economy, the Congress in its election manifesto is yet to fulfill its major poll promises to provide a financial assistance of Rs 1,500 to all women above the age of 18. While addressing a public meeting in Dharamsala on completion of government's one-year tenure on December 11, the Chief Minister had announced that the promise made to all women of the state would also be met in a phased manner.

He announced the women who currently get Rs 1,100 as pension would be provided Rs 1,500.

He also announced the state would bear the expenses for higher education of children of widows from the next fiscal. The Chief Minister announced an increase in the purchase price of milk by Rs 6 and purchase of the cow dung to commence from January 2024.