The embattled Akhilesh Yadav-led SP Government in UP, which had been forced on the defensive by the recent communal carnage in Western UP and the collapse of the state’s law and order machinery, suffered further loss of face with a group of sulking ministers raising the banner of revolt against the CM and a clerical error in a Home Department communique inadvertently championing the issue of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
In fact, the 18 ministers had earlier met SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav to apprise him of their protest at being rendered “idle ,jobless and frustrated” since the Cabinet ministers had been gobbling up all the “important work”, leaving them high and dry.
“Why are we in the government. Are we here for the lal batti (red beacon) and an Ambassador car to roam the streets only. Or, are we here to perform some duties also,” was their general refrain before the party supremo.
Some of the ministers, who spoke to Express on the condition of the anonymity, revealed that even the transfers and postings of minor officials were not assigned to them. Not only that, their inspection reports were dumped in the dustbin and the officers simply failed to heed them!
“Yes, we asked either to give us a job or (to pay) unemployment allowance,” a young Minister of State told INN Live.
Although they were asked to meet the CM, the latter has refused to grant them an audience so far.
Rather significantly Mulayam, while addressing a gathering on the occasion of the death anniversary of pioneering socialist Ram Manohar Lohia, said he had a feeling that something was wrong with the state government somewhere. And he added that he would warn the ministers to mend the ways.
“But for the misbehaviour and mistakes of the ministers and the MLAs, you should not punish me,” he said.
Meanwhile, it was a blooper which had inadvertently crept into the Home Department missive -- that a meeting of the police top brass will be convened here tomorrow (on Tuesday) for the construction of the Ram Mandir on the lines of the Somnath Temple in Gujarat -- that left the Akhilesh Government squirming in embarrassment.
After the matter came to light, Principal Secretary (Home) R M Srivastava apologised to the nation for the letter issued by his office. Srivastava had been arrested on contempt charges a few months ago on the orders of the High Court.
The letter caused a furore in government circles and the media after its contents were leaked on Saturday morning. Even though a minor clarification was issued, it failed to cool the rising tempers in the top echelons of power in the state. And several SP members felt that Akhilesh had to own up moral responsibility for the faux paus since he held the Home portfolio.
Later on,Srivastava said at a news conference, “I am ashamed of the erroneous contents of the letter, which was in fact issued for reviewing the security of the temple in Ayodhya. I apologise to the nation. I am prepared to undergo whatever punishment is meted out to me. I owe moral responsibility.”
Actually, the letter had been issued two days ago by Secretary(Home)Sarvesh Chand Mishra. However, till late on Saturday evening no action was taken against the guilty for the controversial letter which exposed the malaise afflicting the state administration.
Incidentally, sometime back several SP MLAs had met Mulayam and demanded that Srivastava be ousted.
Separately, the Supreme Court on Saturday served notices on the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleague Mohammad Azam Khan, who has been accused of interfering with the police action during the riots.
Meanwhile, the Akhilesh Govt’s dismal performance is a an area of concern for Mulayam. Following its landslide in last year’s Assembly polls, the SP had believed that its performance and populist schemes would propel the party to a dominant role at the Centre in the post-LS poll scenario.
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