Sunil Chadha
DHARAMSHALA: In a surprising turn of events, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s trusted aide and Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Chairman (HPTDC) RS Bali has publicly opposed the government’s decision to outsource 14 state-run hotels, throwing the ruling party into a new controversy.
Addressing the media recently in what many are calling a “Gandhigiri-style dissent”, Bali said he was completely unaware of the Cabinet’s move and demanded an immediate review of the outsourcing decision. “I have no information about this outsourcing proposal. This should be revisited,” he said firmly.
Bali’s dissent exposes cabinet rifts
Bali’s public protest has raised eyebrows, not just for the content of his opposition but also for exposing deep cracks within the government. Sources said the proposal to hand over loss-making hotels to private operators was discussed and cleared on-the-spot in a recent Cabinet meeting, without consultation with the Tourism Department or even HPTDC’s own Board of Directors.
The decision is now facing intense scrutiny, especially since Bali, who holds the HPTDC chairman’s post, was bypassed entirely.
Key ministers absent, transparency questioned
The move has triggered a series of uncomfortable questions for the Sukhu-led Cabinet:
• Why was such a major decision taken without consulting the Tourism Department or HPTDC’s own chairman?
• Why was the proposal not initiated by the HPTDC or Tourism Director?
• Why were senior ministers like Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri, Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh absent during the decision?
Critics argue that decisions of this magnitude are usually made only under emergency or confidential conditions — neither of which applied here.
Political irony: Congress once opposed similar move
Adding fuel to the controversy is the political irony surrounding the decision. During the previous BJP-led Jai Ram Thakur government, a similar proposal to privatise tourism units had sparked sharp opposition from the Congress, which then accused the BJP of “selling off Himachal’s public assets”. At the time, Tourism Secretary Ram Subhag Singh was even transferred after protests.
“Why is the Congress government implementing the very decision it once fiercely opposed?” asked a senior political analyst.
The controversy also raises concerns about the possible misuse of Cabinet powers as the decision appears to have skipped procedural checks. There’s no evidence that the government conducted any independent assessment or survey to justify outsourcing, nor has it revealed any roadmap for adjusting existing HPTDC staff, who now face an uncertain future.
One senior official confirmed that the Principal Secretary (Tourism) has instructed the HPTDC Managing Director to implement the outsourcing plan within three months, targeting 14 hotels across various districts including Kullu, Dharamshala, Fagu, Parwanoo, Jogindernagar and Kasauli.
