Shimla, Aug. 20 -- Amid the standoff between the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government and the Raj Bhawan over the appointment of vice-chancellors at two agricultural universities, the assembly on Tuesday rejected governor-cum-chancellor Shiv Pratap Shukla's proposal to amend the Himachal Pradesh Agriculture and Horticulture University Act, 2024, in line with the Centre's Model Act in the absence of the opposition BJP in the House. The Himachal Pradesh Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry University (Amendment) Bill, 2024, that was passed in September 2024 was sent for the approval of the governor, but he recently sent it back with objections. The governor recommended that as chancellor, he should directly appoint vice-chancellors, with inputs from a nominee, including an expert from central institutions such as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The rejection of these amendments effectively nullifies this suggestion and keeps the power balance tilted toward the state government. On Tuesday, state agriculture minister Chander Kumar tabled amendments to Section 4(1) and a new Section 4(3) on the lines of the central framework and sought to strengthen the governor's hands in the appointment of vice-chancellors. But in the absence of the BJP MLAs, the House turned down the proposal through a voice vote. After this Chander Kumar tabled the Himachal Pradesh Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry University (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (Bill No. 14 of 2023) for reconsideration, which was approved by the House without any amendment with a voice note in the BJP's absence. The Bill provides that the governor shall appoint the V-Cs on the "aid and advice" of the government. Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania then ruled that the Act would remain in its original assembly-approved form, as passed last September. State govt, governor at loggerheads On July 21, Raj Bhavan issued an advertisement for the appointment of the vice-chancellors of Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, and Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar Horticulture and Forestry University, Nauni. On August 12, the state government withdrew the advertisement declaring any action taken under it "null and void" bringing the state government and Raj Bhavan at loggerheads. Instead on August 13, Raj Bhavan issued a detailed order through which the governor restored the July 21 advertisements for both universities and extended the application deadline to August 18. He maintained that the chancellor, vested with statutory powers under Section 24 of the Himachal Pradesh Universities of Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry Act, 1986, is the sole competent authority to initiate the V-C appointment process. On August 14, the Himachal Pradesh high court stayed the Raj Bhavan's advertisement. Governor Shukla insisted that under the 1986 Universities Act, the chancellor alone has the authority to initiate V-C appointments and is not bound by cabinet advice, citing Supreme Court precedents. In contrast, advocate general Anup Rattan, representing the state, informed the high court that the secretary of the governor does not have the right to issue a notice for the recruitment of vice-chancellor, rather the notice should be issued by the administrative heads of the agriculture and horticulture departments. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced a boycott of revenue and horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi. As part of the boycott, the saffron party Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have decided not to ask any questions or listen to his statements inside the House of Jagat Singh Negi, who holds portfolios of Revenue, Tribal affairs and Horticulture. The ruckus was triggered by remarks made by Negi during the recent disaster in Seraj, which the BJP alleged were "insensitive and derogatory." The BJP MLA Randhir Sharma raised the matter in the House, saying the minister had made "mocking and inappropriate" comments at a time when people were in distress due to the disaster. "The minister should not have made such remarks during this time of crisis. The opposition has decided that we will not ask him any questions and whenever he speaks, we will walk out of the House," Sharma told media persons outside the Vidhan Sabha. Leader of Opposition and former chief minister, Jai Ram Thakur, said, "The opposition would not tolerate what he called the minister's "nonsense." "The opposition cannot listen to the rubbish of the minister. That is why we staged a walkout," Thakur said, accusing Negi of hurting the sentiments of the disaster-affected people. The protests intensified after Minister Jagat Singh Negi hit back at the BJP on the floor of the House, accusing the opposition of double standards. Commotion and uproar was witnessed during the ongoing monsoon session of Himachal Pradesh assembly on Tuesday as the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government and the BJP sparred over the Himcare scheme. The Mukhya Mantri Himachal Health Care Scheme (HIMCARE) is a health insurance scheme in the state that provides cashless treatment coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per year per family. Lashing out at the BJP on the issue of the Himcare health scheme, the chief minister accused the previous BJP government of misusing public money."The BJP misused Himcare funds, squandered them on private hospitals, and created irregularities in billing. We have already released Rs 550 crore for the scheme and will ensure that poor and needy patients get treatment," Sukhu said while speaking in the House in response to the question of BJP MLA from Nachan in Mandi district, Vinod Kumar. Dissatisfied with the government's reply on the Himcare scheme in the state Assembly on Tuesday, the Opposition staged a noisy protest and left the House, accusing the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government of ruining the free healthcare facility started by the previous BJP regime....