'Sukhu ji ka samosa kisne khaya?': Himachal politics spices up as Shimla CID investigates missing snack

NEW DELHI: Workers from the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) staged a 'Samosa March' in Shimla on Saturday in response to Himachal Pradesh's ongoing "samosa controversy". The unusual protest comes as debate swirls around an CID investigation after snacks intended for Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu were mistakenly served to his security staff.

The workers were seen "feeding" a poster of CM Sukhu samosas, while chanting slogans such as "Sukhu ji ka samosa kisne khaya?" (Who ate CM Sukhu's samosa?).

#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha workers organised a 'Samosa' march in Shimla to protest against the CM Sukvinder Singh Sukhu's led state government pic.twitter.com/tFB7V1DnF6

— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2024

The controversy took off when refreshments originally prepared for the chief minister were inadvertently served to his security detail during a visit to the CID headquarters on October 21. The issue erupted when reports claimed the CID had launched an investigation into the mix-up, sparking political discourse across the state. However, CM Sukhu dismissed the uproar, attributing the investigation to a "misbehaviour incident" and accused the media of amplifying the story.

Explained: Himachal CM Sukhu's samosa ruckus and CBI probe

“There is no such thing,” Sukhu told ANI, adding that the CID probe was unrelated to the samosas and was initiated solely to address a disciplinary issue. He further said the media had misrepresented the incident.

Taking advantage of the furore, BJP leaders, including opposition leader Jairam Thakur, have criticised the Sukhu administration. Thakur expressed disbelief at the apparent gravity the government attached to the snack misplacement, calling it an example of "poor governance."

“Decisions in Himachal are becoming a laughing stock nationwide. A simple snack mix-up becomes an investigation. This reflects the government’s priorities,” Thakur said. In a symbolic gesture, BJP workers held a samosa party at the Circuit House in Mandi, with Thakur and others distributing samosas among party members and chanting slogans against Sukhu’s leadership.

Watch: BJP's 'samosa' party amid Himachal CM Sukhu's snack mix-up row

CID deputy general Sanjeev Ranjan Ojha weighed in, denying any political motive behind the investigation. “This is strictly an internal CID matter, unrelated to politics. We simply want to understand what happened and how information leaked,” Ojha remarked, adding that the chief minister does not eat samosas, further downplaying the situation.

The BJP, however, has used the episode to question the administration’s focus, with party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari linking it to the state’s financial issues. Bhandari criticised the Sukhu government, claiming that financial mismanagement was evident when a small snack mix-up drew this level of attention. He also likened it to what he described as the Congress's "failed economic model," hinting that Himachal's financial instability mirrors the "Revdi culture" of handouts previously criticised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

'One samosa of three plates costs Rs 350'

While the dispute over the samosa has led to a political storm for the Sukhu government the Chef Rajiv Bharadwaj who works at Shimla's Radisson Hotel said he was thrilled by the samosa's sudden stardom.

I am a chef and have been working as a chef for the last 18 years and am in the hotel industry. This time our samosa has gained so much popularity, it has got so much limelight," he told news agency ANI.

Explaining the controversy, Chef Bhardwaj explained, "We had served 21 samosas to the CID branch of Himachal Pradesh Police which were to be served to the Chief Minister. The pack was given on their order in which there were only three packs. One samosa of our three plates is available for Rs 350 plus tax."