Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh Tuesday publicly criticised IAS and IPS officers who don’t belong to the state, and accused them of prioritising personal agendas over the state’s welfare.
Singh, while urging Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to take firm action, backed Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri’s month-old warning about bureaucratic conspiracies against the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh.
In a pointed Facebook post, the minister — son of six-time former chief minister Virbhadra Singh — wrote: “We agree with the Deputy Chief Minister’s speech in Mandi. Some IAS and IPS officers from UP and Bihar are disregarding Himachali values. They show little concern for Himachal’s interests. While posted here, they should serve the state and not act like rulers.”
The statement comes nearly a month after Agnihotri’s remarks at a state event in Mandi on 6 December 2025 to mark three years of the Congress government in Himachal. The Deputy CM had cautioned bureaucrats against “meeting people against the government”, adding that those acting against it “will be dealt with in the dark of night”.
Vikramaditya, who oversees the Public Works Department, Urban Development, and Housing, alleged that these officers lack genuine commitment to Himachal and warned that failing to address them promptly could harm the state’s interests.
Speaking to reporters, Singh Tuesday avoided naming specific officials but expressed frustration over “unfair and arbitrary” fund allocations.
“Funds from the Centre are for the people of Himachal. No officer has the right to distribute them arbitrarily, yet this has happened,” he said, adding: “As elected representatives, we won’t let anyone undermine the state’s interests.”
He accused some out-of-state IAS and IPS officers of misusing central funds for roads and other projects, eroding Himachal’s ethos. “I respect the Centre-state framework and welcome officers from any cadre, but the state’s interests come first. Protecting those is our duty,” Singh said.
He noted that similar concerns had been raised by Agnihotri, and even the state’s Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, along with others. “Himachal’s resources must benefit its people, not serve personal gains,” Singh emphasised.
Currently, 1997-batch IAS officer Devesh Kumar, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, serves as principal secretary for PWD, Urban Development, and Finance — the departments headed by Singh.
When contacted, the minister said Wednesday, “I am free to raise my concerns. Being a public representative and flagbearer of the legacy of former CM Virbhadra Singh, I can’t tolerate some officers mis-utilising their powers to harm Himachal’s interest.”
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Dissenting views
Not everyone within the Congress government agreed with Singh’s broad-brush criticism.
“Many officers from outside are doing excellent work. Instead of general statements, specific names should be given. Such sweeping statements are not a fair practice,” Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi told ThePrint.
Senior Congress leader Raashid Alvi also weighed into the controversy.
“Civil servants serve across India. Such comments fragment the nation, much like Raj Thackeray’s attacks on people from UP and Bihar in Maharashtra. India belongs to everyone. Administrative divisions are fine, but mutual attacks are inappropriate,” Alvi told journalists in New Delhi.
Although Singh named no one, his comments are viewed as a sign of the government’s weakening control over the bureaucracy—a charge frequently made by the Opposition BJP in Himachal Pradesh.
A senior Congress leader in the state, speaking on condition of anonymity, told ThePrint: “There’s nothing new here. We’ve been saying this from the start. Officers aren’t heeding Congress leaders, and even ministers are frustrated.”
Former minister Ram Lal Thakur, a close associate of late CM Virbhadra Singh, recently told the press that Health Minister Dhaniram Shandil confided in him about the health secretary ignoring his directives.
A senior IAS officer, requesting anonymity, said: “It was unclear who Singh was referring to, but the government has protected a few officers, which demoralises others. Balance is key. If the deputy CM and ministers are feeling the heat, the situation is grave.”
The officer added that senior Congress figures had long complained about bureaucrats, but their concerns went unheeded.
Political analyst M.P.S. Rana observed that many Congress leaders compare the current regime unfavourably to Virbhadra Singh’s era. “He handled officers differently, drawing on his vast experience,” he said.
Rajya Sabha polls ahead
The accusations come ahead of a Rajya Sabha election in April 2026, when BJP MP Indu Goswami’s term ends.
Another senior Congress leader, on the condition of anonymity, said: “Some want Pratibha Singh nominated to Rajya Sabha to appease the Virbhadra faction. Rajni Patil’s name is also circulating. But it’s complicated, especially after Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s defeat last time, when cross-voting nearly toppled our government. The ‘outsiders; narrative emerged then too. Who knows what’s brewing now?”
A third senior leader and former minister remarked: “The bureaucracy is indeed unchecked. It was the CM’s job to rein them in. For the deputy CM to say this publicly, in front of central leaders and officers, shows it was urgent. Yet, nothing seems to have changed since.”
In the previous Rajya Sabha election in February 2024, BJP’s Harsh Mahajan unexpectedly defeated Congress’s Abhishek Manu Singhvi. A 34-34 tie, due to cross-voting by six Congress MLAs, was decided by a draw of lots in BJP’s favour. This triggered a crisis that led to disqualification of MLAs followed by by-elections as the Congress scrambled to secure its government.
Himachal Pradesh elects three members to the Rajya Sabha.
(Edited by Prerna Madan)
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