BHUBANESWAR/PURI: If the Delhi stadium being emptied for an IAS couple to walk their dog sparked off nationwide outrage, here is an example of how the babus are initiated into the VIP culture at the very start of their career.
At least 181 IAS probationers who visited Jagannath Temple at Puri on Sunday enjoyed the full VIP treatment as the district administration rolled out a red carpet for them, even reserving battery-operated vehicles at the cost of senior and ailing citizens and people with disabilities (PwDs), who are the actual beneficiaries of the service.
As many as 11 battery-operated vehicles remained parked for over three hours waiting for the young bureaucrats to arrive and take the 1 km ride to the temple, while hapless citizens were deprived of the facility till the contingent ended the temple tour.
The probationers, who visited the Sun Temple at Konark after meeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Bhubaneswar, arrived in Puri at about 7.40 pm. But, the vehicles were put in waiting from 4.30 pm without anyone else allowed to avail service.
Scores of elderly people and those with disabilities, who were in need of the vehicles that have been specifically assigned for the service free of cost by the State government, had to return disappointed without going to the temple. Many others had to take the arduous walk to the temple from Jagannath Ballav Mutt, as other vehicles are barred from the point.
“We asked the vehicle operators for the ride but were refused service. We had to walk all the way to the temple in the terribly hot and humid conditions,” said a 65-year-old man who came with his wife and children. Over 30,000 devotees visited the shrine on Sunday. With heatwave-like conditions prevailing in the State, the problems faced by the citizens who deserved the ride can be well imagined.
Sources said the Puri administration sanitized the area by moving out the vendors and even cleaning up the road stretch to give the young officers the best experience.ADM (Protocol) Pradeep Sahoo, however, denied that the battery-operated vehicle service was not provided to senior citizens and PwDs. “Out of 17 such vehicles, we had reserved 11 for the contingent. The bureaucrats used it only at 8 pm. Till then, it was provided to others as usual,” he told The New Indian Express.
However, it was for all to see that the vehicles had been lined up in front of Paradise Hotel since afternoon with seats covered with white towels, which is a well-recognized emblem of VIPs in the country. The contingent that visited the temple included the IAS probationers and two Bhutanese Royal Service officers.