Opinion Sofa, AC at slain BSF constable’s home run counter to CM Yogi’s image he hopes to create

The Chief Minister talked to the family in the drawing room and was photographed handing over a cheque to the martyr's family.

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Deoria : Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath meeting with the family members of martyred head constable Prem Sagar of BSF in Deoria on Friday. Prem Sagar (45), was killed in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. PTI Photo (PTI5_12_2017_000217B) *** Local Caption ***

Ramendra Singh

LucknowMay 15, 2017 05:03 PM IST First published on: May 15, 2017 at 05:03 PM IST

The installation of an air conditioner, sofa and carpet at the house of slain BSF head constable Prem Sagar in Tikampar village of Deoria district for the half-an-hour visit of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday runs counter to the image he hopes to create for himself and his government.

His statement that power is not a “thing of luxury but a sadhana (worship)” for his government and several similar claims against VIP culture do not appear to have made any impact on the bureaucracy and the government in general. The officials of Deoria district administration, who were responsible for the arrangements made for his visit, allowed the installation of the AC, sofa and carpet in the drawing room of Sagar.

A saffron colour tablecloth and a saffron towel to cover the chief minister’s chair – which has become a norm in almost all the government programmes – were also especially arranged on Friday afternoon.

The Chief Minister talked to the family in the drawing room and was photographed handing over a cheque to the martyr’s family. The items were removed as soon as the Chief Minister left after about half-an-hour meeting with the family. The family members say they had not demanded for any such arrangement and found it odd when the officials removed them soon after the chief minister’s visit.

Officials say that the arrangements are made for the visit of every VIP and there is no specific order detailing what all facilities are to be provided. They say the AC was brought by the officials of the Public Works Department. A few officials admitted in private that it was inappropriate to make such arrangements for the CM’s visit to the bereaved family.