A Punjab Cabinet minister's video clipping scolding a school's woman Principal in public went viral on Friday, following which the Chief Minister issued new guidelines on use of names of ministers, MLAs and officers on foundation/inauguration stones.
In the clipping, Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot is seen and heard arguing angrily with a government school Principal in Nabha town after he found his name figured at third place on the inaugural plaque at a school building.
Dharamsot, who holds the portfolios of forests, printing and stationery, welfare of SCs and BCs, not only used offensive language but even threatened to get the Principal suspended. All this happened in the presence of many people. The incident is said to have happened on Thursday.
The inauguration stone had carried the names of two donors, both sisters and school alumnae, who had collected money for the construction of a building block in memory of their mother.
In another video footage, the Minister denied he ever threatened to get the Principal suspended.
Following the incident, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh reiterated his earlier orders to shun VIP culture.
Amarinder Singh also prohibited the inclusion of names of any government functionaries, including ministers and MLAs, on the foundation/ inauguration stones, a government spokesman said here.
The Chief Minister asked ministers and legislators to show humility in public.
"The Chief Minister is not excluded from these orders, aimed at building a stronger connect between the government and the people by removing the VIP culture barriers," the spokesperson said.
All projects and programmes, including those inaugurated by the Chief Minister or any of his Cabinet colleagues, MLAs or other officials, would from now on be dedicated to the people of Punjab, Amarinder Singh announced.
The state Cabinet decided to this effect last month but it was still not properly implemented.
The spokesman said while there was no bar on government functionaries and leaders from inaugurating or laying the foundation stones of buildings or projects, the practice of getting their names inscribed on such stones/plaques was being discarded with immediate effect, following explicit orders from the Chief Minister.
The Punjab Cabinet last month approved a series of measures, including removal of red beacons from atop official vehicles of various dignitaries, to rid the state of VIP culture.
--IANS
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