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The seemingly trivial incident of a misplaced snack has ignited a political storm in Himachal Pradesh, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) capitalizing on the "samosa controversy" to criticize the ruling Congress government. The controversy began when refreshments intended for Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu were mistakenly served to his security detail during a visit to the CID headquarters. This seemingly innocuous mix-up sparked a CID investigation, leading to heated debates and accusations of political motives.
The BJP, seizing the opportunity, staged a "Samosa March" in Shimla, with workers chanting slogans like "Sukhu ji ka samosa kisne khaya?" (Who ate CM Sukhu's samosa?). They also held a samosa party at the Circuit House in Mandi, distributing samosas while criticizing Sukhu's leadership. The BJP, led by opposition leader Jairam Thakur, has accused the government of focusing on trivial matters rather than addressing critical issues, highlighting the alleged "poor governance" reflected in the investigation over a simple snack misplacement.
Despite the BJP's accusations, the CID has denied any political motive, asserting that the investigation is strictly an internal matter aimed at understanding the incident and the leak of information. The Chief Minister himself downplayed the controversy, attributing the investigation to a "misbehavior incident" and accusing the media of exaggerating the story. He stated that the CID probe was unrelated to the samosas and solely focused on disciplinary action.
The controversy has also raised questions about the cost of the samosas, with Chef Rajiv Bharadwaj, who prepared the snacks, revealing that each samosa costs Rs 350 plus tax. This information fueled the debate, adding another layer to the political controversy. Ironically, the chef expressed his delight at the sudden fame his samosas have gained, highlighting the unusual impact of the incident.
While the BJP continues to leverage the "samosa controversy" to criticize the Sukhu government, the incident highlights the tendency of political parties to utilize even seemingly trivial matters to gain political mileage. The episode raises questions about the priorities of the government and the media's role in amplifying such incidents. The "samosa scandal" serves as a stark reminder that even in the realm of politics, a seemingly insignificant detail can ignite a firestorm of controversy.