VIJAYAPURA: “You may be a minister but you have to stand in the queue like all of us. You can’t expect special treatment.” This was the message of a miffed young girl to Home Minister M B Patil when he and his entourage were allowed immediate darshan at a temple here on Monday. Taken aback, Patil tried to explain to the girl why he was in a hurry and apologised to her.
Patil visited the ‘770 Amaraganadishara temple’ on the occasion of Mahashivaratri. This time too, hundreds of people were standing in the queue under the scorching sun when the minister rushed in and was escorted into the temple. The temple authorities were quick to enable Patil and those who came with him to offer prayers without any hassles.
This VIP treatment being accorded to Patil irked the young college girl who was in the queue watching all the fuss. She objected to the minister being allowed ‘special darshan’ when many devotees waited for hours in the long queue. She said it was unfair of Patil to break the rules.
Unrelenting, the girl insisted that Patil be made to stand in the queue like all other devotees. When the minister heard her objections, he apologised to her and came up with ‘explanations’. While stating that he too would wish to stand in queue like a common man, Patil said he was scheduled to attend some important official meetings and that he also had to rush to catch a flight from Hubballi airport. “I have to attend two official events the same day. I cannot skip them. That is why I had to have a quick darshan,’’ he told the girl.
Convinced by Patil’s explanation, the girl praised him for his good works. Then Patil posed with her for a few photographs.