PATNA: Bihar Social Welfare Minister Madan Sahni on Thursday bitterly complained against the “arbitrary functioning’ of his own department’s additional chief secretary and offered to resign from the ministry. The minister said he was fed up with the “arbitrary functioning” of the additional chief secretary Atul Prasad. “What is the use of being a minister in a system when I can’t do anything for the people’s welfare? I cannot tolerate it; I am determined to resign soon.”
Atul Prasad is considered a no-nonsense officer. However, the minister said that no one listens to the minister in the department. “All rules and regulations are being blown away. Many officers posted in the Social Welfare Department for a long time and are working arbitrarily. When I asked the additional chief secretary to transfer them, he refused to listen,” the minister said.
Sahni alleged that he was not the only one who faced such a situation. “There are other ministers who have to face such bureaucratic arbitrariness in their departments,” he said. “I have not become a minister to live in a sprawling bungalow and move in a caravan of cars. I have the responsibility to serve the people. If I can’t do anything for the people, there is no use to remain a minister.”
He said despite being the minister, he was subjected to harassment just because he belonged to a backward community. “I am suppressed and harassed and no one listens to me,” he said, offering to resign. “There is a limit to tolerance. I have no other option but to resign. I will continue to be in the JD-U under Nitish Kumar’s leadership,” he said.