YOGI AdITYANATH STOPS USE Of SAffRON
In this column on 9 July, we wrote that whenever a new government comes to power in Lucknow, the bureaucracy behaves like a chameleon. Babus change the colour of schemes to show unwarranted support to the ruling party’s official colours. And since the day the BJP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had come to power, the bureaucracy had gone all out for the display of saffron colour at official events and in interior decorations; babus seems to be inspired by his saffron robes. Officially, there were no instructions from the Chief Minister. The very next day on 10 July, the Chief Minister’s principal secretary, S.P. Goel wrote to all branches of the state administration conveying Yogi’s “unhappiness over the use of a particular colour and special arrangements being made during his tour functions”. Goel says that the red carpet is laid and a particular colour’s towels and other things are displayed during the CM’s official visits. He has conveyed that the CM has given clear instructions that no special arrangements should be made during his tours. “There should be no dikhawat and inconvenience to general public should be avoided.” Senior officials had pointed out the cases of the CM’s visit to the houses of martyred jawans in Devaria and Gorakhpur. The local administration “temporarily” installed sofa sets and air-conditioners there and red carpets were rolled out for him. “The CM has expressed his unhappiness over such things and that he wants that such frivolous acts should not be repeated,” he has said. By issuing clear instructions that “a particular colour” should not be used and no red carpet be rolled out for him, Yogi Adityanath has set a fine example.