A Minister’s Complaints

Lucknow

17^thFeb,2016

Dear Mr. Chief Minister Sir,

When you selected me to be a member of your cabinet I was highly elated and obliged. I began to day-dream about various schemes and plans which  I would implement in the ministry allotted to me.

Riding a bicycle and dressed in immaculate khadi kurta, pajama and jacket with a red rose in its buttonhole when I reached the venue of the swearing-in ceremony,  security men forbade me to enter the pandal. They wanted to check my identity. Being informed by me about my appointment, they started laughing and cutting jokes. They passed several satirical remarks at me.

Thank God! Your security happened to pass by and intervened. After his intervention, I was begged for pardon and was allowed to go in with due respect.

The swearing-in ceremony passed off peacefully without any abnormal incident. According to your instructions, I to had to refuse security, government vehicle, and resident. So the next morning, when security men reached my resident, I asked them politely to go as I did not need them. They tried to persuade me to let them do their duty. But as I insisted on their departure, they went away after requesting me to call them back if needed.

No sooner did they depart, I heard some hullabaloo on the road in front of my flat. I went to the balcony and saw a group of people raising slogans against me and my party. Some of them had placards in their hands on which was written –

“An inexperienced mind cannot be the minister,

A corrupt mind- a minister why? ,

Remove him! Remove him!”.

Seeing this, my blood pressure shot up. I decided to face them. I came down to the gate. I waved at them when they come near. I requested them to send their representatives. When so-called leaders came, I asked who they were. They said,” we are the members of the youth wing of the opposition parties. We want your removal.”

‘’Why?’’

“We want your removal. That’s all.”

” I accepts that I am inexperienced. But how can you say that I am corrupt?”

A youth leader, “We presume you are corrupt.”

” The government and administration are not run on presumptions. I am not going to resign. “saying this, I went into the house and shut the door.

The sloganeering mob went on increasing. When the mob began to be restless and violent, I had to call policemen who dispersed them by using some force.

Watching all this, I was really pained not because I was the target of their attack but because I was the cause of all the unrest and violence in which some innocent policemen doing their duty and innocent men passing by, were wounded. I am sure, no so-called youth leader was harmed. They had come just to oppose me and brighten their leadership.

The next morning was more shocking and emotionally disturbing. When I reached the office in a taxi because I have no car of my own, the secretary told me that he would do his best to implement the policies enunciated in the manifesto of the party though they were unpractical and utopian. When I asked him why they were unfeasible, he told me that the shortage of funds was the main reason.  He and other officials’ attitude did not seem to be encouraging and co-operative.

The next some months passed off without any incident except demonstrations and dharnas organized by the opposition parties on flimsy grounds. I do not care for that because they have become a routine affair.

In the meanwhile, I had to face several personal troubles on the home front. My graduation degree has been questioned. It is alleged to be fake, through it is original. My wife has been ensnared. She is alleging domestic violence and is preparing to file divorce papers in court. I don’t know who is instigating her to act in such a way. All this has upset me to a great extent.

Ten days ago, it was about 10 PM. I had just returned from a public function. It was a hectic day. I was tired and hungry, resting on my bed I was waiting for dinner. All of a sudden, the doorbell rang. I left the bed and opened the door. There I found two volunteers at the party. They looked to be disturbed and upset. They told me that some foreign ladies living in their locality were disturbing the peace because of their immoral acts. The tension was mounting and there was possibility of a flare-up.

Also Read: The promoters of corruption

At once I accompanied them to the place. I found they were correct. I got those women of easy virtue expelled from the locality and thus saved the people from social tension and riot.

The next day, I was astonished to see the headlines. The media presented me as a culprit and those women as innocent sufferers. I also heard that some leaders of opposition were preparing to approach the court

Mr. CM, this incident has proved to be the last straw on camel’s back. Now I am fed up physically and emotionally. So, I am sending my resignation. Please accept it and relieve me of my duties as a minister. I assure you of my help and co-operation as a loyal member of the party. I am  grateful to  you for  reposing trust in me .ramsharma23march@yahoo.co.in

Waiting eagerly for your answer.

Yours sincerely

Shiv Narayan Dixit