Journalism of Courage
Three days after Congress president Sonia Gandhi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regarding the suspension of IAS Officer Durga Shakti Nagpal,Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Wednesday made a surprise inspection trip to Gandhis Lok Sabha constituency,Rae Bareli, where among other things,he ordered suspension of two district officials for laxity in service.
Yadav held a chaupal with villagers and gram pradhan at the Raain gram panchayat bhavan in Bachharawan tehsil while reviewing development,welfare schemes in the area. Finding laxity in services he ordered suspension of district food supply officer and supply inspector while issuing transfer orders of basic education officer.
He also partook in the midday meal with the children of an upper primary school.
The CMs action caught the Congressmen unawares,especially as the region had so far remained untouched by senior leaders of other political parties and such inspection visits have only been taken by family members or staff of Gandhi family.
Yadavs holding of chaupals,too,made Congressmen uneasy because they had told people that apart from party vice-president Rahul Gandhi,no senior leader of other political parties in the state,sits with the villagers.
It was Rahul Gandhi who introduced the concept of holding regular chaupals in Amethi. It is surprising that the CM,who never held any such chaupal in Etawah,Mainpuri or Kannauj,decided to do so in Rae Bareli, said a local Congress leader.
