Shimla, Sep 5 (Reporter) Amid heated arguments in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Thursday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presented a resolution urging the Centre to provide disaster relief grants similar to those given to Sikkim, Assam, and Uttarakhand. Members of Bharatiya Janata Party walkout of the House during the discussion and the resolution was passed in the absence of Opposition members. Sukhu emphasized that the state has suffered extensive damage due to natural disasters, with 386 deaths, 24,887 houses damaged, and 22,000 families impacted. The state requires Rs 2,948 crore to rebuild the damaged infrastructure, including roads, power projects, bridges, and government buildings. The Chief Minister criticized the Centre for offering assistance through multilateral agencies like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), stating that such funds require state contributions and are not complete grants. "Himachal Pradesh is not seeking charity. It’s our right to receive special assistance on par with other disaster-affected states," Sukhu declared. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri echoed Sukhu's concerns, accusing the Opposition BJP of trying to avoid the discussion on central assistance. "The Leader of the Opposition is attempting to sidestep deliberations on this crucial issue," Agnihotri said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Chauhan criticized the BJP for not supporting the resolution and accused them of remaining silent during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state. Jagat Singh Negi, while addressing the resolution, lamented that Himachal Pradesh is being discriminated against. Opposition leader Randhir Sharma, before the walkout, criticized the state government for failing to spend Rs 140 crore of National Disaster Response Force funds by the March 31, 2024 deadline and accused the administration of mismanaging disaster relief by allowing Congress workers to manipulate fund distribution. As tensions flared, Bhawani Pathania argued that the BJP-led Centre is discriminating against Himachal, a state with a predominantly Hindu population, by denying it adequate assistance...////...