Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu Hits Back Over ‘Samosa’ Row: 'BJP Trying To Tarnish Govt's Image'

Himachal Pradesh CM dismisses 'samosa' controversy as fabrication, accusing BJP of a smear campaign to defame the Congress government.

File Photo of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Source : अंकुश डोभाल

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has dismissed the controversy surrounding a CID probe into ‘samosas’ intended for him, calling the media coverage misleading and accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of running a smear campaign. Sukhu clarified on Friday that the investigation was not about snacks, as reported, but aimed at probing alleged misbehaviour by officials.

“The probe was about the misbehaviour of officials, but the media has turned the CID probe into samosas. The DGP has already given a clarification in this regard,” Sukhu told reporters, as quoted by news agency PTI. He went on to criticise the BJP, saying their focus on the incident was immature. “The BJP's behaviour in raking up this issue is childish and laughable,” he remarked, adding that the opposition has been relentlessly trying to tarnish his government's image ever since the Congress secured 40 seats in the last assembly elections.

Sukhu also accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise his government through ‘Operation Lotus’, which he said had failed. “The BJP has been trying to run down our government since they failed in the assembly polls and subsequently also did not succeed in their campaign,” he said.

 ‘Samosa’ Row In Himachal Pradesh

The controversy erupted after samosas and cakes meant for the Chief Minister were mistakenly served to his security staff during his visit to the CID headquarters on 21 October. According to an enquiry report by a Deputy SP rank officer, the mix-up occurred when refreshments brought from Hotel Radisson Blue in Lakkar Bazaar were misdirected, PTI reported.

A senior CID official’s note on the incident described the actions of those involved as an “anti-government act.” The report detailed how an Inspector General (IG) rank officer had instructed a Sub-Inspector (SI) to arrange refreshments for Sukhu’s visit. The SI delegated the task to an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and a head constable, who collected three sealed boxes of snacks from the hotel and notified the SI upon their return.

When asked by the police officers whether the refreshments were meant for the Chief Minister, staff from the tourism department reportedly denied their inclusion in the official menu. Only the SI knew the boxes were for Sukhu, and a female inspector who received the snacks handed them over to the mechanical transport (MT) section, which manages refreshments. As a result, the snacks never reached the VVIPs.

The BJP has criticised the Congress-led government over the incident, claiming the administration is overly concerned with trivial matters. “The Sukhu dispensation is not focused on the state’s development. Their only concern seems to be the Chief Minister's samosa,” said a BJP spokesperson, attacking the government’s priorities, PTI reported.