AHMEDABAD: Five BJP MLAs from Gujarat's Vadodara wrote to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, accusing the state administration of damaging the government's image.
The letter began with “Vande Mataram” and then swiftly turns into a scathing indictment of Gujarat’s administrative machinery.
Five MLAs from Vadodara district, Ketan Inamdar, Akshay Patel, Shailesh Mehta, Chaitanya Singh Jhala, and Dharmendra Singh Vaghela, have collectively sounded an alarm.
“The functioning of the administrative system has become chaotic,” the MLAs state, adding that “even getting routine work done has become difficult for the common man.”
What should be a smooth interface between government and citizen, they warn, has instead become a daily struggle “a war” fought across government offices because of what they describe as the “bad mentality” of officials and employees.
Senior officials Collectors, District Development Officers, Superintendents of Police and Police Commissioners are accused of presenting “rosy pictures” during video conferences with state secretaries, while deliberately ignoring harsh ground realities.
“By preparing their offices and reports,” the MLAs write, “they keep the government away from the real situation.” That disconnect, they warn, has consequences.
Governance, according to the letter, is being run indiscriminately, sidelining both citizens and elected representatives, a drift that is “directly damaging the image of the government.”
Perhaps the most politically explosive charge lies in how officials allegedly treat elected MLAs themselves. Public works recommended by legislators, the letter claims, are routinely ignored. In some cases, officials have reportedly told citizens bluntly, “Why did you seek the help of the MLA?”
The MLAs call this mindset not just arrogant, but dangerous for democratic governance, arguing that such behaviour undermines the very link between people and power. Significantly, this is not the first warning from Vadodara.
The MLAs remind the Chief Minister that after the 2017 Assembly elections, similar grievances had surfaced when three MLAs were forced to convene a meeting at the Circuit House to flag non-performance.
“Verbal representations were made earlier,” the letter notes, “but there has been no improvement.”
The MLAs have urged the Chief Minister to issue explicit instructions to officials accused of carrying this “bad mentality,” to ensure that works suggested by public representatives are given priority, and that governance is made decisively people-oriented.
If required, they insist, strict action must be taken.