Himachal Governor skips Assembly speech in 3 minutes

The Budget Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly began on a stormy note, with sharp differences surfacing between Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and the state government over the contentious issue. He notably skipping significant portions of the speech related to the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) by the 16th Finance Commission. “Since paragraphs three to sixteen of my speech pertain to a constitutional body, I would not like to read them,” said Shukla. He wrapped up his 50-page speech in under three minutes, reading only the first two paragraphs that outlined the session’s agenda — passing supplementary demands for 2025-26, the budget for 2026-27, and other legislative business.
Paragraphs 15 and 16, which were skipped, emphasised that the 16th Finance Commission’s decision to discontinue RDG would significantly affect small and hill states, particularly Special Category States like Himachal. The speech had stressed that for hilly and border states, where revenue generation is limited due to geography and natural resources, the RDG plays a critical role in funding development projects, social welfare schemes, and disaster management programmes. The flashpoint was the speech prepared by the government, portions of which allegedly questioned the functioning of the Centre and certain constitutional institutions. The Governor objected to these sections.
Maintaining that he could not read out comments that undermine the dignity of constitutional bodies, he chose to read only the opening two paragraphs and the concluding portion. He skipped paragraphs 3 to 16, the core section dealing with the Revenue Deficit Grant and the state's financial concerns. Before exiting the House, he asked members to read the remaining text themselves, triggering sharp political reactions.
Reacting to the stand-off, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu downplayed the Governor's move, saying it was "not an exception" and that Governors have skipped addresses in the past. However, he remained firm on the financial dispute. "This is not about the government. RDG is our right. Do not harm the rights of the state," he asserted.