Minister Calls Episode Shocking and Against Established Norms
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday termed the reported lavish arrangements made for a Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited director as improper and a clear violation of established rules and traditions. He described the episode as unacceptable and confirmed that a show cause notice has been issued.The controversy surfaced after details emerged regarding elaborate preparations made for BSNL Director Vivek Bansal during his proposed visit to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.
Responding to media queries, Scindia stated that he had made his position clear. He said the reported conduct was in breach of norms and traditions and was shocking. He added that a show cause notice had already been issued to the Director, providing a seven day response period. Appropriate action will follow based on the reply, he said.
Nearly 50 Staff Deployed for Two-Day Visit
According to an official order issued by a Deputy General Manager, close to 50 staff members were assigned over two days to manage 21 separate tasks linked to the visit.The reported minute to minute plan included arrangements for boat rides, temple visits and holy dips at the Triveni Sangam. Preparations were also said to include bathing kits containing towels, oil, comb and even undergarments.
Officials were assigned additional duties such as arranging suits, taking photographs, organising transport and stocking vehicles with water bottles, chocolates, chips and other refreshments.
The document detailing these arrangements circulated widely on social media, drawing sharp criticism over the scale of preparations and the use of public sector resources for what appeared to be a personal visit.
Visit Cancelled Amid Public Criticism
Soon after the matter became public, Bansal’s visit was cancelled.BSNL, which reported a loss of over Rs 1,300 crore in the last quarter, has not issued any official clarification on how such an extensive plan was drafted or approved.
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