Political storm in Himachal over assault on NHAI officials

Hindustan Times

4 days ago

Attack on National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials in Himachal by the panchayati raj minister Anirudh Rana on Tuesday has brewed a political storm in the state with the Opposition leaders targeting the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu led Congress government. Reacting strongly over the assault, Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday condemned the 'heinous assault'. (File)
Himachal Pradesh panchayati raj minister Anirudh Singh Rana on Tuesday had assaulted a NHAI official, Achal Jindal, during a site inspection where a five-storeyed residential building had collapsed. When another official, engineer Yogesh, tried to intervene, he too was beaten up. The NHAI officer is undergoing treatment at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) in Shimla.
Reacting strongly over the assault, Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday termed the action 'heinous'. Calling the incident 'deeply reprehensible', Gadkari wrote on X: 'The heinous assault on Achal Jindal, manager, NHAI PIU Shimla, allegedly by the minister of panchayati raj, Himachal Pradesh, and his associates, is deeply reprehensible and an affront to the rule of law. Such a brutal attack on a public servant performing his official duties not only endangers individual safety but also erodes institutional integrity.'
'I have taken serious cognizance of the matter and spoken with the chief minister, urging immediate and exemplary action against all perpetrators. Accountability must prevail, and justice must be delivered without delay,' Gadkari wrote.
NHAI is presently executing 17 National Highway projects worth ₹ 23,729 crore in Himachal.
Anurag, Jai Ram lashes out at Congress
Lashing out at the government, Himachal leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said,'The government, the police administration, all kept suppressing this matter. When no excuse worked, leniency was shown in filing the case as well,' said Thakur, while adding that 'When BJP leaders staged a democratic protest, a case of attempt to murder was filed against them but on the other hand those who beat up public servants, hit pots on their heads, they are booked under milder sections.' He further said, 'The chief minister should take action against the minister and Anirudh should be dropped from cabinet immediately. The state will not tolerate such dictatorship.'
Senior BJP leader and Hamirpur Member of Parliament Anurag Thakur also targeted the state government.
'The chief minister must act decisively if he wants to save his government's image and ensure central schemes are implemented. Otherwise, what message are we sending? That officials will be beaten for doing their duty?' said Anurag.
'The CBI probe in the Vimal Negi case is still ongoing, and now another officer's head has been fractured. Are government officers in Himachal even safe anymore? Will they be driven to suicide? These are serious questions, and the CM must answer them,' said Anurag while talking to the media in Shimla.
'What could be more unfortunate than a minister being named in an FIR and an official complaint for assaulting an officer in a closed room and injuring him?' the MP added.
'Thousands of crores of rupees are being provided by the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi for four-lane highways, NDRF operations, and railway projects in Himachal. But while funds are being sent, officers on the ground are being assaulted in closed rooms by state ministers and their aides,' Anurag further added.
NHAI chairman writes to Himachal chief secy
Meanwhile condemning the attack, NHAI chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav has written a strongly worded letter to the chief secretary Prabobh Saxena seeking 'detailed enquiry into the incident and appropriate legal action against those responsible'.
Yadav said that the such incidents demoralise field engineers and could delay the execution of infrastructure projects. 'The officers of NHAI have sustained grave injuries and were later hospitalised... In view of the above-mentioned incident, I request you to kindly conduct a detailed enquiry into the matter and all people responsible for the manhandling of NHAI officers be tried as per law...' the letter further read. 'Such an event not only raises questions on the deficiencies in the law-and-order system of the state, but also hampers the morale of the officers of NHAI working at field level,' the letter mentions.
In solidarity with Jindal, the NHAI Engineers Association asked all officers of the highway authority to proceed on half-day leave from 2pm on Tuesday as a mark of protest.
Matter has been brought to CM's notice
'I don't have full details about the incident, but Union minister Nitin Gadkari has raised the issue with me. The matter has been brought to the notice of the chief minister, and whatever action is appropriate will be taken,' said PWD minister Vikramaditya Singh on Tuesday.