Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Pant and Mayawati

Sir, — One of my friends who had served in the personal staff of the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, late Govind Ballabh Pant, used to say how the personal and State expenses of Pant were kept totally separate and all the expenditures incurred on him and his family members were met from his personal money. Pant refused to pass a bill amounting to Rs. 6 and Annas 12 towards snacks served with tea at an official meeting on the ground that serving snacks at that meeting was not admissible under the norms. When repeatedly requested, Pant, taking out the amount from his purse, said, ``Take this amount and pay the bill. I cannot allow payment of this bill from Government money.''

Times have since changed, and so the people in positions. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati, allegedly sanctioned Rs.1.35 crore from the State's contingency fund to meet the expenses for celebration of her birthday, stating that the Government was organising her birthday. She could have earned a lot of appreciation, goodwill and well wishes had she spent the money on schemes to provide some relief to the people.

M.C. Joshi,
Lucknow

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Stories in this Section

• Change of guard in Maharashtra
• An incautious approach
• Right to food
• The seven sisters of South Asia
• The sunny side of the 'Raj'
• Pant and Mayawati
• Leadership change
• Dual citizenship
• Recasting policy

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