Minister’s Foreign Tour Cancelled After Public Outcry Over Son’s Inclusion
A planned 10-day trip to London and France for Himachal Pradesh’s Health Minister, Col. (Dr.) Dhani Ram Shandil, and a delegation of officials has been called off. The decision comes after a wave of criticism on social media and from political opponents, who questioned the inclusion of the Minister’s son in the official party.
The visit, scheduled for early October, was officially intended for the group to study innovative healthcare systems abroad. However, the plan quickly unraveled when the government notification listing the delegation members went viral. The document named the Minister’s son, Col. (Dr.) Sanjay Shandil, as the tenth member, oddly describing him as an “accomplice.”
This label, combined with the apparent nepotism, sparked immediate public ridicule and anger.
A Defense That Failed to Convince
Facing the backlash, Minister Shandil attempted to clarify the situation on Saturday. He stated that the tour wasn’t imminent and explained that his son and daughter-in-law would be traveling at their own personal expense, not the public’s. He defended the trip’s purpose, saying, “Good work is being done in the health sector abroad. Technology learned from there should be implemented here.”
However, this justification did little to calm the critics. Former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur was among the prominent voices condemning the move, increasing the political pressure on the current government.
Mounting Pressure Leads to Cancellation
In the face of unrelenting scrutiny, the government ultimately decided to scrap the visit entirely. The delegation was to include two MLAs and senior health officials, with the cost being covered by the Himachal Pradesh Medical Services Corporation Ltd.
This cancellation underscores a powerful trend: the public is now watching official foreign tours more closely than ever. The incident shows that perceived misuse of public funds or favoritism can quickly lead to a political firestorm, forcing governments to reconsider their decisions.
