All's not well with Yogi Adityanath govt, MoS quits, another 'upset'

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, July 20

Not all is well in the Yogi Adityanath Cabinet, it appears. Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Jitin Prasada, whose Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Anil Kumar Pandey was transferred and five PWD officials were suspended following allegations of “non-compliance of the transfer policy and irregularities”, is believed to be “upset”.

Meanwhile, in a rare example of open discontent in any BJP government, another minister, Jal Shakti Minister of State Dinesh Khatik, today resigned penning a scathing complaint that he was being “sidelined because he is a Dalit”.

Sources claim Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak had also recently expressed displeasure over transfers of doctors in the department.

In his resignation letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, Khatik claimed that he was not assigned any work in the ministry and no one paid any heed to orders given by him or provided any information he asked for.

Alleging corruption in transfers and also in the prestigious Namami Gange programme, Khatik claimed when he asked about it, he was not given any information by officials. “I am resigning because I am hurt. I was not given any importance because I am a Dalit. I have no authority as a minister. My working as a Minister of State is a waste for the Dalit community…I am not called for any meeting and not told anything about my ministry. This is an insult to the Dalit community,” Khatik said.

PWD Minister Prasada later denied that he was “upset”, saying that he was working under Adityanath’s leadership to meet the expectations of the people. “Everyone knows about the zero-tolerance policy of the PM and CM Adityanath. Under this, if there are irregularities in the department, the government will take concrete steps. There will be a fair probe. Action will be taken wherever there’s disorder,” Prasada was quoted as saying.

“As far as transfers are concerned, changes will be made if there is a disorder. Further action will be taken in line with the zero-tolerance policy,” he added.

OSD transferred

PWD Minister Jitin Prasada, whose OSD was shifted and 5 officials were suspended, is said to be ‘upset’