JOIN USIt's ok to steal 15pc of allocations, says UP minister
Officials and people were taken aback when an Uttar Pradesh minister gave tips on bribery at a function in the Banda district, about 200 km from here.
Minister for Home Guards Brahma Shanker Tripathi, who is also the minister in charge of the district, reportedly said there was “no problem if the government officials siphon off 15 per cent of the budget allocated for developmental schemes”.
“If you (officials) take 15 per cent of the amount as commission, there is no problem... but you must spend the remaining 85 per cent on developmental works honestly,” Tripathi reportedly said while addressing the officials after distributing unemployment cheques to youths on Saturday.
Shocked officials later said that the minister has fixed the rate of commission. “He has dropped hints that 15 per cent of the budget may be siphoned off,” they said.
Tripathi, it seems, has taken a cue from his senior colleague and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav. Speaking at a meeting of the PWD officials in Auraiya district some months ago, Shivpal had openly advocated graft. “You (officials) can steal a little if you work hard,” he was caught on the camera telling the officials. “Do not try to steal too much.
Work hard and then you may steal a little,” he had said. Many UP ministers have caused huge embarrassment to the Samajwadi Party government by their remarks. Senior minister Azam Khan is one of them. Khan had embarrassed the chief minister by his outbursts, when he dubbed the cop as “dalals” (middlemen). “You people sell khaki money...you are dalals,” Khan said from the dais at a function. Khan had also recently said that he would have led the mob that destroyed the Babri Masjid to demolish Taj Mahal as the Moghal emperor Shahajahan built the structure from the public money.
“Concerned” over the remarks and its adverse effect on the image of his son Akhilesh, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav had convened a meeting of the ministers where he gave them tips on governance and discipline. Mulayam had also made it clear that he was not at all happy with their remarks.