Madhya Pradesh: Govt employee seen riding on villager's back goes viral

Bhopal, Sep 16: A photograph showing a Sub Engineer, posted with a rural civic body in Panna district in Madhya Pradesh, being carried across a flooded nullah by a villager on his back has gone viral on social media.

Sub Engineer Arvind Tripathi, who works at Pawai Janpad Panchayat, had posted the picture on Facebook. The incident had taken place two days back.

The picture showed Tripathi being carried across Mahad nullah in Pawai locality, around 10 kms from the district headquarters, by a villager on his back.

Tripathi, who is seen wearing a brown-coloured shirt and white trousers, was on his way to meet villagers to urge them to construct toilets as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Under the drive, government staffers offer flowers to villagers and appeal them to build toilets at their places. When contacted, Tripathi told PTI that he regretted his act of riding on the back of the villager as well as uploading the picture on the social networking site.

Panna Collector J P Irene Cynthia said she was not aware of the development. "I will check it," she said when contacted.

Last month, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had drawn flak and ridicule for a photograph which showed him being lifted by security personnel to cross a swollen nullah at Panna district to meet the flood-hit people.

Chouhan's picture, which appeared in newspapers, was issued by the State Public Relations department after his visit to the rain-ravaged district. However, it was later withdrawn.

PTI