New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) The Congress on Monday took a swipe at the Modi government after the Maharashtra government moved the Bombay High Court against several food safety regulations, and asked whether Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is sending a subtle message to the New Delhi establishment.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the NDA government in Maharashtra has challenged the Modi government in the Bombay High Court, saying the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is violating the Constitution.
“The CM of Maharashtra seems to have suddenly woken up to such an outrage that has been the hallmark of the Modi Govt. He and other Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states were totally silent when Opposition-ruled states have been raising their voices against the brazen and blatant usurpation of their powers by the Modi government as has happened most recently through the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 and the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2026,” he said on X.
Earlier NDA-ruled states kept completely quiet when their powers and those of panchayats enshrined in MGNREGA were “emasculated” through the VB-G RAM G, Ramesh said.
Is the Maharashtra CM sending a subtle message to the New Delhi establishment, Ramesh asked.
His remarks come days after the Maharashtra government moved the Bombay High Court against several food safety regulations, claiming the FSSAI has unconstitutionally established a parallel enforcement regime that usurps the state government’s powers.
The petition, filed through the State Commissioner of Food Safety, said the aim of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSA) was to decentralise food regulation. Earlier, enforcement of the Act was through the State Commissioner of Food Safety and designated officers, it pointed out.
As per the plea, the Centre and the FSSAI have since then issued various amendments to the Act that “steadily dismantle the decentralised regime”.
The FSSAI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) exercised powers unlawfully by creating posts like ‘Central Food Safety Officer’ and ‘Central Licensing Authority’, the plea said. These roles are foreign to the statutory framework of the Act, the plea contended.
The plea has sought the high court to quash the unconstitutional amendments and regulations and stay a May 20203 order restricting state officers from inspecting centrally licensed units. PTI ASK DV
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