Jitin Prasada asserts 'not upset'; hails Yogi govt's zero-tolerance policy on corruption

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh PWD Minister Jitin Prasada denied that he was upset over the suspension of PWD officials and the sacking of his OSD. Hailing the Yogi Adityanath-led government's zero-tolerance policy on corruption, he asserted that strict action will be taken wherever irregularities are detected. Moreover, he refuted rumours that he had sought time to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

UP Minister Jitin Prasada remarked, "You know that PM Modi and CM Yogi have a zero-tolerance policy. In pursuance of this, the government will take tough steps if there are irregularities in the department. There will be an impartial inquiry. Action will be taken where irregularities are found. As far as transfers are concerned, changes will happen if there are irregularities."

"There is no such thing. There is no question of being upset. We are working in Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of the CM. It is our endeavour to live up to people's expectations. As far as meeting national leaders is concerned, I can meet them whenever there is time. But I am not planning to meet them now," the Congress-turned-BJP leader clarified on whether he plans to call on Shah. 

UP government's crackdown on irregularities

While Jitin Prasada's OSD Anil Kumar Pandey was sacked on Tuesday, UP CM Yogi Adityanath suspended 5 officials of the PWD department for their alleged involvement in facilitating transfers in exchange for material benefits. These include Engineer-in-Chief (Development) and HOD Manoj Kumar Gupta, Chief Engineer Rakesh Kumar Saxena, Senior Staff Officer Shailendra Kumar Yadav, Administrative Officer Pankaj Dixit and Head Clerk Sanjay Kumar Chaurasia. This action was based on the recommendation of a committee comprising UP Agriculture Production Commissioner Manoj Kumar Singh. 

In a statement, the state government affirmed that this was in line with its policy of  “zero tolerance towards corruption”. Chairing a Cabinet meeting a day earlier, the UP CM advised his Ministers to not trust any of their staff members blindly and keep an eye on them in the wake of the corruption in the transfer of PWD officials. Latching on to the controversy, former UP Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu demanded Prasada's ouster and a CBI inquiry into the alleged corruption involved in the transfer and posting of officials.