Babu seeks eunuchs' help to revoke suspension

While it may not be unusual for government employees to show their might through political influences, a suspended babu in Uttar Pradesh sent eunuchs and sadhus to persuade his superiors to revoke his suspension.

Musafir Singh, a clerk in the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), was suspended a few months ago for fraudulently registering plots to persons in return for bribes, despite the fact that those plots have already been registered in some other names.

LDA authorities remained unmoved by Singh’s efforts to overturn the suspension order through politicians, leaving the desperate babu to try unusual tactics that caught the superiors by surprise.

A group of eunuchs laid siege to the office of LDA vice-chairman A P Tewari, asking him to revoke Singh’s suspension order, according to officials.

The eunuchs refused to vacate the office until their demand was met. The vice-chairman had a tough time clearing the noisy crowd in his office, officials said.

As this tactic failed, Singh sent a group of sadhus to Tewari’s office with a similar demand. The sadhus tried convincing the vice-chairman to revoke Singh’s suspension, though Tewari did not relent.

“Never in the past had any suspended babu resorted to such tactics for his reinstatement,” the LDA officials said.

Singh justified the use of eunuchs and sadhus. “There is nothing wrong in approaching one's acquaintances for help in troubled times,” he added.