Congress reprimands party leader Vikramaditya Singh over controversial food outlet order

Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh, who heads the PWD and Urban Development ministry, was summoned to Delhi on Thursday and reprimanded by the Congress leadership for a controversial order issued by his department. The directive mandated that food outlets across the state display the names and addresses of their owners, a move that quickly drew criticism both on social media and within the party.

This backlash stems from the fact that Congress had recently slammed a similar order from the Uttar Pradesh government during the Kanwar Yatra, labeling it as discriminatory. The Himachal Pradesh directive has been met with particular disapproval from Congress leader T S Singh Deo, who condemned it as "reprehensible" and "unnecessary." He questioned the rationale behind naming individual shop owners, emphasizing that the focus should be on the brand, not the individual.

Sources revealed that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his displeasure with Singh and urged him to avoid making further controversial remarks on the issue. The controversy was further fueled by AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam, who accused Congress of adopting the BJP's approach, thereby spreading hatred.

The Himachal government's move followed recent protests over the demolition of unauthorized portions of a mosque in Sanjauli and was ostensibly aimed at addressing concerns about the growing number of migrants in the state. The directive has sparked a heated debate within the party, exposing internal divisions and leading to accusations of hypocrisy from both political opponents and social media users.