Shimla: Marking a distinction between private and official duties; Sarveen Chaudhary, minister for social welfare, traveled by bus as an ordinary citizen from Kangra to Delhi to attend a private function.
Sarveen Chaudhary is married to army officer Colonel Pawn Kumar, who has been stationed in the national capital for the last three years.
Sarveen boarded a Volvo bus from Gaggal (Kangra) on Sunday after relieving the accompanying staff and the official vehicle allotted to her in order to attend her 21st marriage anniversary at Delhi
Before leaving for Delhi, Sarveen told a regional Hindi paper that propriety demanded that private and officials duties be kept apart.
“For the last week I have been touring the state and I did use the official car for the purpose. Now that I’m headed for a private function, using an official vehicle for it would be a misuse of public money,†she said.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
Whats the big deal in that….This is common sense and no greatness. I think this is not something which should be given much media attention. Ministers should not show as if they are so great by travelling in a bus (not to mention which is way to luxurious as compared to other counterparts) and not in a vehicle provided by the government to attend a private function. But yea if she had actually travelled in an ordinary HRTC bus like most of the people of her state usually do then it would have been really appreciated.
Would like to see and read more of a mature journalism rather than this kind of poor reports.
Rahul,
Sure enough you make a valid point.
Ministers riding a bus is no big deal, but the problem is that so few of them ride once they gain power need not be mentioned.
Secondly, once a person gains public office, he / she rarely distinguishes between private and taxpayers money. Most personal engagements also get included in an itinerary payed by public money.
Thirdly the story was published not as part of mature journalism but for public awareness, so that the people get to hold public functionaries accountable should they see a violation of their trust.
By pointing out that a minister did ride a bus for a personal function is only setting a trend for others to follow.
And should you come across some good example set by an public functionary, just as you may often come across gross violations about the laws of the land, the two can safely find space here.
This forum is outside regular journalism and your contribution would make it that much more interactive.
Lastly,
If the minister indeed has used the occasion to gain cheap publicity, the too let it remain on record here, which can be pointed out at an appropriate time.
A minister following a normal course may astonish many. The biggest reason for all this is the customization of corruption and official misuse of public money in the society. Media largely reports about such deviations but no one cares at all. The elite class having a great nexus always try to run the system as per their own suitability. But such small appreciations are also necessary for encouragement and put social pressure on this class. It is the foremost duty of each civilian to not customize corrupt practices at any cost. It is a high time for “Halla Bol” against people enjoying with public money and giving power nuisance in return.