Known for being ‘short tempered’ and ‘outspoken’, often putting his foot in the mouth, senior Uttar Pradesh minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Azam Khan called a senior bureaucrat ‘badtameez’ (ill-mannered) when the latter tried to defend his absent colleagues at a department review meeting.
The firebrand muslim leader, who is urban development minister, on Monday lost his cool once again at the absence of senior bureaucrats and even ticked off the official present, for explaining that the others had gone to attend a meeting called by the state chief secretary.
``Kya chief secretary saheb sarkar se bhi upar ho gaye”? (is the chief secretary above the government), Khan retorted angrily when special secretary, urban development Vishnu Swaroop Mishra informed the minister about the meeting called by the CS.
Azam became furious and rebuked Mishra when he tried to say something. ``Chup baitiye...badtameez kahin ke” (keep silent..you ill-mannered person), Khan said in the presence of a host of senior officials of his department.
Khan later told reporters that he would not tolerate indiscipline. He, however, expressed his helplessness in tackling the absentee officials saying it was beyond his authority.
``I cannot do anything against them'', he said sarcastically, in an apparent reference to the government's refusal to suspend another senior official recommended by Khan.
Recently, Khan had called the police `dalals' (middlemen). The minister's outburst came at a `Roza-Iftar' (breaking fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan) at UP’s Barabanki town, which surprised some and upset many police officials.