In a satirical protest against the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government, BJP MLA Ashish Sharma sent a box of 11 samosas to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, following an alleged CID inquiry over an incident involving samosas served at a government event. The protest comes amid criticisms of the state administration for allegedly prioritizing minor issues over pressing matters such as unemployment and state financial concerns.
The incident began on October 21, when CM Sukhu attended an event at the CID headquarters in Shimla. Reports indicated that samosas and cakes meant for the chief minister were mistakenly served to his staff instead. Following this, CID officials reportedly ordered an inquiry into the “mishandling” of the refreshments.
VIDEO | Himachal Pradesh: BJP workers stage a protest in Shimla over ‘Samosa’ row. The controversy around the popular snack meant for Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu which went to his staff instead heated up on Friday with the government, police and the BJP all coming out… pic.twitter.com/r7MPp5kSP1
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 9, 2024
However, a CID senior official claimed that no formal inquiry was initiated, calling the incident an internal matter. Sharma took to social media to voice his concerns, saying, “At a time when Himachal is facing issues like unemployment and financial crisis, ordering a CID inquiry over samosas is disappointing.” He stated that sending the samosas was a symbolic protest to urge the government to address real issues.
Members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP’s youth wing, joined the protest, distributing samosas in Shimla and raising slogans against the state government. BJYM president Tilak Raj criticized the CID’s alleged focus on trivial issues, emphasizing that the state should instead prioritize addressing challenges like unemployment and rising drug use among young people.
Congress leaders, meanwhile, dismissed the BJP’s claims as political harassment. Naresh Chauhan, media advisor to the chief minister, clarified that no official inquiry was ordered, explaining that the situation was misconstrued. CID Director General Ranjhan Ojha reiterated that the matter was not a formal investigation, but merely
