Jaipur, Jan 29 || The issue of hookah bars and alleged illegal activities linked to them triggered a sharp political confrontation in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Thursday, leading to heated exchanges between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress during Question Hour.
The matter was raised through a supplementary question by Deputy Leader of the Opposition Ramkesh Meena, who sought details of action taken against hookah bars across the state.
Responding, Minister of State for Home Affairs Jawahar Singh Bedham drew comparisons between the previous Congress government and the current BJP regime, prompting strong objections and sloganeering from Congress MLAs.
Amid repeated interruptions, Bedham claimed that hookah bars had operated extensively during the Congress tenure. "In 2022, when hookah bars and related illegal activities were at their peak, 55,326 cases were registered. In 2023, the number dropped to 25,885, and after effective action by our government, cases have further declined to 12,598," he told the House.