New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is confronted with what is increasingly becoming a recurring problem—his ministers targeting government officials, a trend his political adversaries say reflects a trust deficit between the CM and his ministers. Multiple sources in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, interpret it as a show of defiance against the centralisation of power in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Half-a-dozen ministers have trained their guns at the bureaucracy in the last two years of Yogi’s second term, the latest being the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Pratibha Shukla, who wrote a letter to the director, Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) regarding alleged corruption and irregularities in her department.
Shukla openly accused a district programme officer (DPO) and the employees of his office of irregularities in recruitment of anganwadi workers. After a recent tour of the districts, the minister wrote that in whichever district she visited, she was receiving complaints of corruption in recruitment. From receiving applications to shortlisting them, the work was being done under the supervision of the DPO, she wrote.
Pratibha Shukla is the seventh minister in the state to raise questions on the officials of her own government in the second tenure of Yogi Adityanath. Before her, Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, cabinet ministers Ashish Patel and Sanjay Nishad, Minister of State (MoS) with independent charge Dinesh Pratap Singh, MoS Dinesh Khatik also raised questions about officials on different occasions.
Just a few weeks back, Patel accused UP’s director of information Shishir Singh and media adviser to the CM Mrityunjay Kumar Singh of tarnishing his image by “planting false stories”. He also dared the Amitabh Yash-led Special Task Force (STF) to shoot him on the chest, “if you have the guts”.
Before Ashish Patel, his wife and Union MoS Anupriya Patel also wrote to Yogi Adityanath accusing officials of not following the reservation process in government recruitments.
ThePrint reached the Chief Minister’s Office for comment. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
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Officials vs ministers
According to UP-based political analyst Kavi Raj, who teaches political science at University of Lucknow, the issue of officials versus ministers is becoming quite common in this government. “BJP should solve these issues before the next assembly polls. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, we heard so many stories of internal conflicts in various districts which damaged the BJP on many seats. Now, they have to put their house in order before these things become big.”
The Opposition is having a field day as ministers dig up dirt against their own government, and even their own ministries and departments. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Pooja Shukla said, “This government has zero care for their ministers and MLAs. Every other day we notice that either a minister or an MLA is angry with government officials. They themselves leak their letters to the media. This shows that they do not trust their Chief Minister.”
UP Congress state chief Ajay Rai alleged that corruption is at its peak in this government. Officials are not listening to the MLAs, the CM is not listening to the ministers, he said. This shows that this government has trust issues. Now the public will also not trust them in 2027 assembly polls, he added.
Leaked letters
A cabinet minister, on condition of anonymity, told ThePrint, “We are forced to do that (leak letters). Government officials do not listen to us not only regarding transfers but also in tendering and finalising big ticket projects. They are minting money and the chief minister’s office does not take any action against them. They even safeguard these officials. It makes us feel very toothless sometimes.”
He added that it all started in July 2022 when Brajesh Pathak sent a letter to Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Medical and Health, Amit Mohan Prasad, expressing displeasure over the transfers of doctors. The transfer happened when the deputy CM was not present in the state. “If the Deputy CM does not enjoy the power, then who are we. Sarkaar adhikari chala rahe hain (officials are running this government),” the minister added.
Another minister told ThePrint, “The problem is that the CMO is the high-command in the government. All transfers, postings, and tendering happened with the consent of those posted there. Ministers have very little say. As of now no minister can say that he has direct access to CMO. For small works we take approval from the CMO. It increases everyone’s frustration. Sometimes it results in a ‘viral letter’.”
Sanjay Nishad, founder of Nishad party and an ally of the BJP, who earlier raised questions on state officials on many occasions said, “Officials should listen to the ministers. They are answerable to us and we are answerable to the public.” He also hinted that there were few in the state cabinet politically inclined towards the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party but show that they support the BJP.
“They give wrong feedback to high command,” he added.
In July 2022, minister Dinesh Khatik is reported to have even offered to resign, saying he was being ignored by departmental officials. Kathik was reportedly miffed over the transfers in his department and the FIR against his supporters in his constituency. Later, BJP state high command solved the issue by talking to him and the CM.
UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said, “It’s our internal matter. We will solve it. Opposition does not need to make a big issue of it. We are winning everywhere, this means people trust us. Other small issues keep coming and going, it is not a big deal. Ministers have a full say. The government definitely takes cognizance of any such letter.”’
One senior UP BJP functionary told ThePrint, “In the end, ministers and MLAs are answerable to the public and their core workers. If they get complaints from workers then they would definitely raise them to the chief ministers and top officials. But they should avoid leaking their letters on social media. It dents the party’s image too.”
Warning to top officials
According to sources close to Pratibha Shukla, she had earlier warned top officials to solve the complaints but they did not listen to her and her letter went viral on social media.
In her letter, the minister wrote that even confidentiality is not being followed in the recruitment process. The minister also alleged that the clerks of the DPO office were directly contacting candidates who applied and demanding money from them. The minister also demanded cancellation of the current recruitment process and sought recruitment at the state level instead of the district. She also marked this letter to the CMO.
While speaking to ThePrint, Pratibha accepted that she wrote this letter and was now awaiting justice. She said probe was going on and she was waiting for action on her complaint.
Pratibha, who hails from Kanpur, made headlines last year when she reached the police station with her husband after local police personnel did not take her six consecutive calls regarding an assault of a BJP worker.
(Edited by Sudha V)
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