A huge crowd had thronged the venue of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s first janata darshan (meet the people) some days ago, indicating that people across the state have a backlog of complaints.
The turnout may have made the SP confident about the people’s backing, but it also posed a new challenge — complaints must be heard and settled fast.
Akhilesh and his officials will find it hard to take fast action on complaints, as shown by how the CM changed his plan of holding janata darshan from once a week to first and third Wednesday of every month.
“The new schedule will give time to officials to act upon applications they get from people,” said a source in the CM’s secretariat.
At least 10,000 people had turned up in the first janata darshan and 5,000 petitions were submitted to Akhilesh and other officials.
“Although it was held after a gap of over five years, we never expected such a huge crowd,” an official said.
Barricades put up at Akhilesh’s official house were felled due to surging crowd, giving a tough time to security personnel.
Most of the petitions related to seeking financial aid for treatment of diseases and weddings, police cases, being implicated in false cases, land grabbing by mafia and jobs inquiries.
“The applications are being analysed and action will be taken soon,” the official said.
People who came to meet Akhilesh say local authorities were not interested in disposing of even petty complaints. “Had complaints been heard in the local level, people would not have come all the way to Lucknow,” the official added.
According to sources, delay in acting upon petitions may invite a backlash and affect the image of the young chief minister. “People expect a lot from Akhilesh. If he fails to deliver, it will not be taken kindly,” said another official.
Former chief minister Mayawati had scrapped holding janata darshan and decided to host thana diwas and tehsil diwas every week to hear complaints.
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