SHIMLA/NEW DELHI – The political temperature in Himachal Pradesh has reached a boiling point following Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh’s controversial remarks regarding the work culture of IAS and IPS officers. What began as a social media post has now snowballed into a full-blown internal rift within the ruling Congress government.
A Cabinet Divided In a surprising turn of events, Education Minister Rohit Thakur has come out in support of Singh. Breaking ranks with other cabinet colleagues who criticized the statement, Thakur described Vikramaditya as a “capable and efficient minister.” He argued that a single statement should not be generalized to paint a negative picture and urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to clarify the situation to resolve the minister’s grievances. “The contribution of officers from outside the state has been as significant as that of local officers; negativity shouldn’t be attached to any specific group,” Thakur added.
CM Sukhu’s ‘Nation First’ Message Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhu, currently on a visit to Delhi, attempted to downplay the crisis while simultaneously delivering a stern message to his minister. Speaking to the media, Sukhu denied any institutional conflict between the government and the bureaucracy but advised Vikramaditya Singh to “remain confined to his own department.” “The statement regarding officials was incorrect. The country comes first, then the state,” Sukhu remarked, signaling that the government would not back an ‘outsider vs. insider’ narrative.
Growing Dissent The controversy has isolated Vikramaditya Singh to some extent, with senior ministers like Jagat Singh Negi (Revenue), Anirudh Singh (Panchayati Raj), and Rajesh Dharmani (Technical Education) publicly disagreeing with his stance. The friction was particularly visible between Anirudh Singh and Vikramaditya, hinting at deeper fault lines. With the IAS/IPS Association already condemning the remarks as “divisive,” all eyes are now on the upcoming cabinet meeting on January 19, where this issue is expected to be a primary agenda point.
