MP: CM Mohan removes district collector for questioning aukat' of truck driver

Bhopal: A day after a video showing a district collector in Madhya Pradesh questioning a truck driver his ‘aukat’ (status) at a meeting, went viral, chief minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday removed him from his post, saying that ‘Such type of language by an officer will not be tolerated in his government’.

Shajapur district collector Kishore Kanyal had lost his cool at a meeting of transporters, convened in his office on Tuesday to persuade them to stay off the strike called by the truck drivers to protest the new ‘hit-and-run’ law, and snubbed one transporter reminding of his ‘aukat’.

The babu later expressed his regret, saying that he did not mean to hurt anyone, after the video went viral triggering a controversy.

“The Shajapur district collector was removed from his post on Mr Yadav’s directive”, chief minister’s office (CMO) said here on Wednesday.

The IAS officer was shifted to the state secretariat and posted as deputy secretary.

A notification to the effect was issued by the state government here on Wednesday.

A statement issued by the CMO said that “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we work for the uplift of the poor. No matter how high a position an officer holds, he should respect the work and feelings of the poor. This kind of language will not be tolerated under our government”.

The chief minister said that he himself is the son of a labourer and added that the incident has pained him.

“I believe that the officers who speak such language don’t deserve a field posting. I hope the officer (Kanyal) will mend his behaviour”, Mr Yadav said.

In the video clip, the district collector was heard asking the transporters not to take law into their hands.

He lost his cool when one of the truck drivers who attended the meeting asked him to talk politely.

“Kya karoge tum, kya aukat hai tumhari? (What will you do, what status do you have?” the district collector was heard asking the truck driver.

A police man was later seen whisking away the truck driver, identified as Pappu Ahirwar, from the meeting.