BJP government in Gujarat faces a new problem lately. Audio clips of random phone calls to ministers, from people seeking answers on what they considerytp be an integral agenda to them, are going viral on social media. And this has only added to the government’s discomfiture.
BJP government image of being “sensitive to problems” of the commoners, have created a load of trouble for them. Some of these calls have been from government employees seeking help or appreciating the moves made by certain ministers. However ministers whose conversations have gone viral in public are trying to keep it under control, saying the government has “a big heart” and has to deal with people who call to congratulate or complain.
One of the audio clips doing the rounds is of a conversation between Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and Gopal Italia, a 27-year-old who is a revenue clerk in Dhandhuka. Gopal Italia was a Lok Rakshak Dal jawan on a fixed wage at Madhavpura police station in Ahmedabad, Italia called Patel to complain about the new prohibition law. He said it was not strong enough and doesn’t support the hike in liquor prices in the state.
Italia disclosed his police belt buckle number and the name of the police station where he was posted and alleged that police officers and politicians were together making the prohibition law ineffective. Before he hung up, Patel told Italia that everyone should do their job. That clip went viral this week, and to our surprise, Patel announced a hike up to 124 per cent for fixed-wage employees.
“I was so nervous speaking to the Deputy Chief Minister that I told him ‘I am a police constable’ instead of saying ‘I was a police constable’,” Italia told The Indian Express. “Prohibition is a burning issue in Gujarat and I called up the Deputy Chief Minister because I feel very strongly about it. I called him as a citizen of Gujarat, not as an employee. I am not afraid since I believe this government is ‘sensitive’ and ‘transparent’,” he said.
No action has been initiated against him so far. “But I am prepared to face the consequences if they do decide to take action.” He is against moves by the Union government to stop paramilitary personnel from airing grievances on social media. “Who knows the government better than its own employees? The government should not impose any restriction on them. It should rather use employee feedback on social media to improve governance.” He said as per Indian Express reports.
Before Italia’s phone call, Jagdish Rojasara (27), a Gram Sevak on a fixed wage with the Agriculture and Co-operation Department, had called Patel to ask when would the state give a ‘lollipop’ to fixed wage employees who had been agitated. Patel asked the caller to reveal his true name and address. Rojasara disclosed his name at once, and even added his current Gram Sevak posting.
Rojasara told The Indian Express: “I get a salary of Rs 11,500 with which I have to run a family of 13. The state government was not accepting our demand of implementing a court ruling on the fixed wage policy. So I decided to call him and express my feelings.” He said no action was initiated against him. “I only got a phone call from my district agriculture officer who told me that being an employee of the state government, I should not call up the Deputy Chief Minister in this manner,” he said.
Last October, an unidentified man, believed to be a farmer, called up Agriculture Minister Babu Bokhiria to check if the government was going to announce the minimum support price (MSP) for groundnut. In the audio clip that went viral, Bokhiria was heard saying that it would not be necessary since farmers were likely to get a better price for their crop. The caller then asked him if the government would declare the groundnut MSP when farmers start dying.
