On a day Rajasthan joined the Central government’s Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) for operational and financial turnaround of three power distribution companies in the state which include among other majors reducing T&D losses, an audio clip surfaced in which a ruling party MLA is caught threatening an engineer for disconnecting power supply in an unauthorised residential colony in his constituency.
In the audio clip, BJP MLA from Bundi Ashok Dogra is heard threatening Gopal Krishna Yadav, an assistant engineer of Jaipur Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Ltd (JVVNL) for disconnecting illegal connections. The MLA threatened Mr Yadav that his clothes would be torn if the issue was not resolved while the official is heard explaining that illegal connections cannot be restored and he was merely following orders of his seniors.
The police has registered a case against Mr Dogra after engineer Mr Yadav met the superintendent of police seeking police protection after receiving the threat from the MLA. Following the complaint, the SP ordered investigation into the matter.
After the audio went viral, the MLA tried to contain the damage. He said that it was a “slip of tongue” as he was very angry because the officer did not respond to his calls.
Power supply in this unauthorised residential colony built on forest land was disconnected on January 23.
The Opposition Congress tried to show the BJP in a poor light after yet another incident of unruly behaviour with government officials by a ruling party MLA. State BJP president Ashok Parnami said that the party would not tolerate indiscipline. If there is anything objectionable in the audio clip, the party would definitely take action, he said.
Ironically, only two weeks ago Parnami revoked the suspension of Kota (North) MLA Prahlad Gunjal, who was suspended from the party in December 2014 for abusive a government official over phone.
Not surprisingly, besides Dogra and Gunjal, there are other BJP MLAs who have misbehaved with government officials. Last month a case was registered against BJP MLA from Behror Jaswant Yadav for slapping traffic constable Devilal who had stopped his car to make way for an ambulance. In another incident, BJP MLA from Kota, Sandeep Sharma scuffled with a Deputy Superintendent of police while he was trying to stop party workers from entering airport during Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh’s visit.
