Shimla, March 27 — A protest by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government brought Shimla to a standstill on Thursday, causing long traffic jams and leaving commuters stranded for hours.
BJP supporters from across Himachal Pradesh gathered at Chaura Maidan, responding to a call by state unit chief Rajeev Bindal. The protest targeted the government’s alleged failure to maintain law and order, control inflation, and tackle unemployment.
The demonstration, however, severely disrupted daily life. “I had an appointment with a doctor but have been stuck in traffic for 45 minutes,” said Anita Kumari, a resident of Chaily. Monica Sharma from Summer Hill added, “I had to return midway after being stuck for an hour. I couldn’t drop my daughter to school.”
Protesters raised slogans against the Sukhu government, accusing it of closing educational and health institutions while unemployment and inflation soared. Bindal had earlier announced plans to gherao the Vidhan Sabha, denouncing the “mafia rule” in the state due to the unchecked sale of chitta (heroin) and illegal mining.
