A peculiar trend has emerged in Indian politics, where governors appointed by center are frequently at loggerheads with chief ministers of non-BJP states, despite their constitutionally defined roles. States like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana have witnessed public spats between governors and elected governments, primarily over governance, appointments, and legislative matters.

Himachal Pradesh has now joined this list, as tensions escalate between Governor, Shiv Pratap Shukla and key state ministers, including Tribal Affairs, revenue and horticulture minister, Jagat Singh Negi and Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar. The disputes revolve around Nautor land allotments to tribals and the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University Palampur, raising concerns about administrative harmony in the hill state.

Ministers Resentment Over Key Issues

The growing discord between Himachal Pradesh’s government and the Raj Bhavan has escalated into a direct confrontation. Tribal Affairs Minister, Negi and Agriculture Minister Kumar have openly challenged the Governor on critical state matters, underscoring the broader friction between the constitutional head of the state and its elected representatives.

At the center of the dispute with the Tribal Affairs Minister is the contentious issue of ‘Nautod’ (non-fragmentation) land allotments after suspending certain provisions of the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980. Nautor refers to wasteland owned by the central government, located outside towns, which is designated as protected........

© Free Press Journal