A Legislator’s Ultimate Protest: MLA’s Hunger Strike for His People Gains CM’s Attention
In a powerful act of protest, Dharampur Congress MLA Chander Shekhar has entered the sixth day of a hunger strike, putting his own health at risk to fight for his constituents. His deteriorating condition has now prompted Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to personally initiate talks to resolve the crisis.
The MLA’s protest began last Monday at Awahdevi Chowk in Mandi district. His target is the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH), which is overseeing the four-lane expansion of the Mandi-Jalandhar National Highway. Shekhar isn’t just protesting slow progress; he is raising a flag against what he calls serious irregularities in construction and the large-scale destruction of the state’s fragile environment.
Speaking from his protest site, the MLA voiced the fears of local villagers. He alleges that the construction companies, operating with minimal oversight, are ignoring public safety and environmental concerns, working only “at their own convenience.” This has left communities suffering and the work progressing at a “snail’s pace.”
While officials from MORTH have visited the protest site, MLA Shekhar remains skeptical. “I don’t trust them,” he stated, arguing that those responsible for the “gross destruction” cannot be trusted to lead the reconstruction. His faith now lies with Chief Minister Sukhu, who is now handling the matter directly with the central ministry.
The situation has reached a critical point. With the MLA’s health declining rapidly, what began as a political standoff has become a race against time. The Chief Minister’s direct intervention underscores the seriousness of the situation, highlighting a legislator’s extreme sacrifice to demand justice and responsible development for the people he represents.
