Himachal CM Sukhu Says Inquiry Held Over 'Misbehaviour' By Staff, Not Samosas; Calls BJP 'Childish'

Following a controversy in Himachal Pradesh concerning a CID investigation over 'samosas,' Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu clarified on Friday that the probe was actually ordered to address misconduct and misbehaviour by certain officials.

Sukhu stressed that the CID inquiry wasn't about the samosas, as some media outlets reported, but rather focused on "misbehaviour" by officials.

Photo Credit: PTI

He also described the BJP's criticism over the matter as "childish" and accused the party of running a smear campaign against him since Congress's victory in the assembly election.

"The probe was about the misbehaviour of officials, but the media has turned the CID probe into samosas. The DGP has already clarified in this regard," Sukhu was quoted as saying by PTI.

The Himachal Pradesh CM further claimed that the BJP has been attempting to undermine his government ever since their efforts through 'Operation Lotus' to topple his administration failed.

The controversy arose when samosas and cakes meant for Sukhu were reportedly served instead to his security staff, which led to the incident being investigated by CID as an anti-government act.

According to a senior CID official's note on the incident on October 21, which occurred while the chief minister was visiting the CID headquarters, those responsible were said to have acted with their "own agenda." Three boxes of refreshments had been brought from Hotel Radisson Blu in Lakkar Bazaar for Sukhu, who was attending an event at the CID headquarters, yet an inquiry report found that the items were served to his security staff instead.

The CID official wrote that those named in the report acted in an "anti-CID" and "anti-government" manner, resulting in the refreshments not being served to the VVIPs as intended.

Criticising the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP stated that Sukhu's administration seemed more concerned with the 'Chief Minister's samosas' than with the state's development.

(With PTI inputs)