BJP leaders ‘gulped chapattis worth Rs 6 crore’ at Jan Manch events: Himachal Congress counters samosa controversy

Amid the samosa controversy that has come to bite the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, senior party leader and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sanjay Awasthy has accused the previous BJP regime and its leadership of consuming chapattis worth Rs 6 crore during its ‘Jan Manch’ events.
Speaking at a press conference in Shimla, Awasthy lambasted the BJP for what he called “baseless” attacks related to the samosa controversy on the Congress government, “which had maintained a clean and corruption-free administration for the last two years”.
Awasthy’s remarks came in response to the BJP’s recent criticism involving Chief Minister Sukhu and the alleged “samosa controversy”, which he said was a “desperate attempt” by the opposition to malign the Congress government. “Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others,” Awasthy said, advising BJP leaders to “look inwards” before casting accusations at others.

BJP accused of squandering public funds

Highlighting what he described as gross misuse of public funds, Awasthy claimed that the Jan Manch programmes and foundation day events organised under the previous BJP government cost the exchequer a whopping Rs 16 crore. He further accused the BJP of financial mismanagement, alleging that while the party announced a revised wage and allowance package worth Rs 10,600 crore for government employees, it failed to actually disburse these funds, making promises solely for electoral gain.
Awasthy didn’t hold back in criticising the BJP’s internal rifts, describing it as a party plagued by factionalism. He cited instances where BJP leaders had previously encouraged government employees to resign from their positions to join politics, adding that such divisive messages were detrimental to the state’s stability and progress.

Congress’s Corruption-Free Record and Ongoing Probes

The Congress government remains committed to upholding transparency and accountability, Awasthy asserted, with ongoing investigations into past corruption cases. He highlighted several financial scandals that allegedly occurred under the BJP’s tenure, including misuse of funds during the pandemic, which he suggested contributed to the resignation of a former BJP state president. In contrast, he emphasised that the Congress government’s focus was on “responsible governance” and “substantial progress” across multiple sectors.
Concluding his remarks, Awasthy reiterated the Congress government’s accomplishments under Chief Minister Sukhu, noting significant administrative reforms and efforts to boost Himachal Pradesh’s economic and social landscape. He encouraged the opposition to contribute constructively to the state’s growth rather than spreading “misleading narratives” to the public.