Dehradun district is grappling with the aftermath of a disaster, and government ministers are reportedly reacting negatively to the district administration’s efforts. Such an incident unfolded on Tuesday during an inspection of the disaster-affected areas in the Sahastradhara-Maldevta region.
Local MLA and Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi was returning from an inspection, while District Magistrate Savin Bansal and Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh were heading to the area for their own inspection. Seeing the District Magistrate, Minister Joshi not only expressed his displeasure but also reportedly asked, “Why are you here?” The minister didn’t stop there, and reportedly berated the District Magistrate in harsh terms. However, the District Magistrate maintained composure, folded his hands in a gesture of respect, and moved on. A video of the incident circulated on social media from Wednesday morning onwards. The Congress party seized upon this, launching an attack on the government, alleging that while the district administration was working diligently during this crisis, government ministers were behaving inappropriately towards officials.
The BJP, however, adopted a defensive stance, with the state spokesperson stating that the Cabinet Minister’s intention was solely to help the disaster victims. The video circulating on social media also purportedly shows the Cabinet Minister stating that the Chief Secretary and the Divisional Commissioner had answered his calls, but the District Magistrate had not. He claimed he had to contact the District Magistrate through the Chief Minister’s office.
Civil society group protests against minister’s behavior
A joint civil society organization has raised its voice against the disrespectful behavior of Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi towards the District Magistrate and demanded action against him. In a letter sent to the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary, the organization stated that government departments, administration, police, and disaster management teams are all contributing to the relief efforts, and that it is unacceptable for a government minister to behave inappropriately at such a time. Condemning the incident, the organization demanded that the minister issue a public apology. Those who signed the letter included Prem Singh Rawat, Alok Kumar Goyal, Pradeep Shukla, RR Panuli, Farooq Hasan, Rajendra Singh Bisht, Dr. Ashalal, and Sushil Tyagi, among others.
