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The recent 'samosa ruckus' in Himachal Pradesh has ignited a political firestorm, with the state's Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu facing criticism over a seemingly trivial incident involving a mix-up of refreshments. The controversy erupted after allegations surfaced that the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) had initiated an investigation into the incident, where snacks meant for the CM were allegedly served to his security staff during his visit to the CID headquarters on October 21st.
Both the Chief Minister and the CID authorities vehemently denied any political motivation behind the investigation. CM Sukhu asserted that the CID's involvement was solely due to an instance of misbehavior and that there was no investigation into the samosa mix-up itself. Deputy General CID Sanjeev Ranjan Ojha echoed the CM's statement, emphasizing that the matter was purely an internal affair of the CID and should not be politicized. He further clarified that no notices had been issued to anyone, and the investigation was aimed at simply ascertaining how the information about the incident was leaked to the public.
However, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seized the opportunity to criticize the ruling government, questioning the rationale behind launching an investigation into such a seemingly inconsequential matter. Himachal Pradesh Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur expressed his bewilderment, highlighting the increasing tendency of the state government to make hasty decisions without careful consideration. He pointed out that the misplaced samosas had become a topic of national discussion, suggesting that the government was overreacting to a trivial issue.
The BJP further fueled the controversy by linking the incident to the state's alleged financial struggles. Party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari sarcastically remarked that the state government was so financially strapped that it could not even afford to pay the salaries of its Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, or MLAs. He attributed the state's financial woes to Rahul Gandhi's 'Khata-khat' model, a veiled criticism of the Congress party's economic policies. Bhandari drew a parallel to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's earlier warnings against the 'Revdi culture' of handing out freebies, arguing that Rahul Gandhi's promises had proven to be hollow.
The BJP spokesperson also extended his criticism to the Congress party's policies in Karnataka, highlighting the state's financial difficulties and the subsequent increase in the prices of essential commodities like milk and water. He concluded by calling for Rahul Gandhi to apologize to the people of India for his unfulfilled promises. The samosa incident, though seemingly insignificant on the surface, has provided the BJP with a platform to criticize the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh and further fuel their existing political tensions.
Source: Explained: Himachal CM Sukhu's samosa ruckus and CBI probe