Saurabh Chauhan
Shimla, India
- Usually responds
- Within a day
Working as an independent journalist with experience of over nearly ten years in print, web journalism. After a brief stint as a freelancer, I joined a national English daily in Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) and served in Ch…
Seen in Theprint, BBC
Despite ban on re-employment, Himachal CM Sukhu’s principal adviser gets another extension
Reporting style, Informative: Predominantly factual reporting, but framed with critical questions about policy inconsistency and political accountability.
Political context, Centre: The report is critical of government inconsistency and allegations of corruption but presents positions from both the ruling Congress government and the opposition BJP.
The Himachal Pradesh government has granted retired IAS officer Ram Subhag Singh a third extension as Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s principal adviser, keeping him in the role until July 2028. The decision appears to conflict with an April directive ending extensions, re-employment and re-engagement of retired government staff. It has also revived scrutiny because Sukhu previously accused Singh of corruption-related issues while serving as opposition leader. The government says Singh is essential to major assignments, including the Kishau hydropower project, a Supreme Court case involving Bhakra Beas Management Board arrears, ecological-services valuation and the Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana. Opposition leaders and a retired civil servant questioned why Sukhu’s position has changed and called for greater transparency.
‘Khalsa Tax’: Nihangs’ Warning to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh Over Entry Tax
Reporting style, Balanced: Mostly factual ground reporting, though it uses some interpretive language to describe the protest and its social significance.
Political context, Centre: The report presents competing claims from Punjab- and Himachal-linked stakeholders without endorsing a clear ideological position.
Nihang groups briefly collected a voluntary “Khalsa tax” from Himachal Pradesh-registered vehicles entering Punjab at the Gara Mora toll point, protesting Himachal’s entry tax on Punjab vehicles. The groups paused the collection after appeals from farmer leaders and police but issued Punjab’s government a 10-day ultimatum to announce a reciprocal tax or hold talks, threatening a permanent border protest. Himachal officials defend the levy as necessary to maintain infrastructure damaged by mountainous terrain and extreme weather, while Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi alleges the agitation is being encouraged by the BJP. The dispute has increased pressure on both state governments to negotiate.