Cong stages walkout from Himachal Assembly over untouchability issue

The opposition Congress staged a walkout from the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Friday over the issue of untouchability in Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur's home district Mandi.

Raising the issue at the start of the Question Hour, Congress MLA Jagat Prakash Negi said some persons did not serve the food to a man in a public feast during Mandi's international Shivratri festival because he was a Dalit.

This happened right under the nose of the administration as this festival is organised by the government, he said, demanding strict action should be taken against the negligent officials.

The Congress legislator said, "The unfortunate aspect is that this incident occurred in CM's home district Mandi. Earlier too, several such incidents of caste discrimination had occurred in Mandi."