Himachal Minister Alleges Undermining of Democratic Institutions, Vows Strong Action on Drug Menace

Jagat Singh Negi, the Revenue Minister of Himachal Pradesh, has voiced serious concerns over what he perceives as the erosion of democratic institutions in the country. In an interview with ANI, Negi accused central agencies and constitutional bodies of being systematically weakened while delineating the state government's measures to tackle issues related to law and order, as well as the escalating drug menace.

Negi highlighted the delayed implementation of a 33 per cent women's reservation quota and criticized the potential use of outdated census data for future delimitation processes. He warned that this could adversely impact smaller states, including Himachal Pradesh, as well as several northeastern and southern regions.

On the matter of law and order, the minister labeled a recent murder as 'deeply unfortunate' but discouraged politicizing it as a governance failure. He detailed the government's robust actions against drug trafficking, specifically the distribution of heroin, known locally as 'chitta.' The measures include stringent laws, specialized police units, and advances in detection technology, aiming to disrupt organized crime networks and protect the youth. Public cooperation, he noted, is crucial for ongoing efforts, which also involve interstate collaboration due to geographical challenges.