Youth Congress activists cane-charged outside Himachal assembly

Agitating Youth Congress activists were cane-charged outside the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Friday over deteriorating law and order in the state, including drug-related incidents. At least 10 of them sustained injuries.

The protesting activists, who were joined by their party leaders, including legislative party leader Mukesh Agnihotri and state president Sukhwinder Sukhu, were lathicharged by the police after the protest turned violent outside the assembly premises.

The police also used water cannons to disperse them.

Earlier, the Assembly could not take up the question hour due to protests by the Congress. The opposition legislators were demanding debate on law and order.

As soon as the question hour started, the Congress members shouted slogans against the government when Speaker Rajeev Bindal refused to accept their demand at that point.

Later, Congress lawmakers walked out of the assembly.

In the post-lunch session of the assembly, the opposition legislators again staged a walkout when they came to know that the police used water cannons to disperse the Youth Congress activists.

They staged a sit-in outside the Assembly gate.

The assembly session, however, continued despite the Congress walkout.- IANS