Nagpur Mayor Nanda Jichkar has kicked up a controversy for reportedly taking her son as a "private secretary" on an official visit to the United States.
Jichkar was invited to the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco which took place between September 12-14.
Slamming the mayor over the incident, Congress city chief Vikas Thakre said that Jichkar's son was not a staffer of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation.
"The mayor has committed a mistake. The post of private secretary is an official one while her son does not work in the NMC. She has also misled her American hosts with this act and has brought disrepute to our country," Thakre alleged.
He said that the opposition would not ask for her resignation but she should do so on her own.
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The Congress leader in the NMC, Tanaji Wanve, also condemned Jichkar's act.
"The letter inviting the mayor was addressed to her private secretary and was sent on the official address of the NMC. It was inappropriate on her part to take her son along," Wanve said.
Speaking on the issue, Nagpur additional municipal commissioner Ravindra Thakre said, "The expenses of the visit was borne by those hosting the summit. The mayor informed us that she is attending the Global Climate Action Summit."
The BJP, meanwhile, defended Jichkar's act and said that she had taken her son along after discussing the issue with the hosts of the summit.
"There is nothing wrong in it. In case there is anything wrong, we will discuss it with her," Nagpur BJP president Sudhakar Kohale said.
Jichkar could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
