India: Cheeky employees lock minister at UPSIC office

KANPUR: It was the state government cabinet minister’s arrival at the office of the Uttar Pradesh Small Industries Corporation Ltd at Fazalganj here on Monday morning. This department makes available the manpower in the government offices.

His coming was unreservedly undisclosed that made the responsible employees careless in attending the office work on the set time. Therefore he found a different sight at the office precincts. Though he would not have totally unaware of such a peculiar situation, he tried his astuteness to test out the employees' punctuality once more. However, the outcome was very disappointing and poor.

Fortunately, he was present at the office walkway when the clock was striking 9.45 in the morning.  Such a punctual politician----the employees must have appreciated it with their attentive mind. But they have little value for it. Their habit was far different and when they were caught with the label of a late-coming allegation, they hit upon no other option than starting slogan-shouting against the regimented minister. They continued shout till 10.45 a.m.

Though the experienced minister informed of the whole matter to the Principal Secretary Bhuneshwar Kumar instantly, there was no sign of disgrace on employees’ face. Had one class IV employee not recognised the minister, the generator would not have been functioning.

The minister inspected office sections like Nazarat, personnel, record room, tool room, computer room and etc but none was available. Even the files maintenance was improper. It was as if nothing unusual for the employees. A tempestuous fit of rage reddened his face and he instructed the closure of the entrance gate at 10 a.m.

On seeing the office bereft of the employees and even its director K Singh he marked the sign of the cross on the attendance register and directed one-day salary cut off as many as 40 late comers.  He also ordered for disciplinary action against employees involved in locking the gate. What was worth seeing was that the biometric machine was too out of order. He ordered to repair the machine.

The moment he moved to go out of the office, the employees put a lock at the gate thereby blocking his exit. They appeared doughty and created trouble for the aged minister who adopted recourse to calling the police. It was at 11 a.m. the minister moved out of the gate.