Steal a little but don’t loot: Shivpal Yadav

LUCKNOW: The barely five-month-old AkhileshYadav government was at a loss for words after one of its seniormost ministers appeared to give officials the sanction to ‘steal a little’ from public funds so long as they worked hard

However, hours after inviting controversy by giving ‘theft’ lesson to state government officers, Shivpal Yadav came out in a denial mode, terming his remarks to be misinterpreted and wrongly presented by the media.

At a hurriedly convened press conference in Lucknow on Friday, Shivpal, a senior cabinet minister in Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party government, was hard pressed to explain his remarks.

He said it was a closed door meeting with PWD officials in which the media had “sneaked in” and “quoted him out of context”.

“What has been reported in the press is out of context. I had stated that the erstwhile government had indulged in largescale corruption, cheating and stealing which, I said, should be stopped hundred percent,” the Minister said, adding that the SP government had come to power vowing to end corruption.

When reporters persisted with the questions on his controversial remarks, Shivpal said, “I have taken back those words. So, why are you raking it up? I have always cooperated with the press. I don’t know why the media is targeting me”.
Shivpal said, “I was in Mainpuri and Etah for a district programme and vigilance committee meeting on Thursday. No media was invited for the meeting but somehow they entered the venue and recorded informal talks held with people’s representatives and officers”.

Stating that such a practice was against journalistic ethics, he claimed that only a portion of recording was shown and not the entire informal discussion, which was going on after the meeting.

“I am always available for media…If such a practice continues I will issue only written statements”, the Minister said.

Shivpal said he was directing officers not to get involved in corrupt practices.

“In the past four months I have suspended 125 officers involved in corruption. Our objective is to eradicate corruption and I have directed 100 percent quality in works done by my department. There is no chance of any theft or stealing of public money”, he said.

He said that he had ordered inquiry into corruption cases in previous regime and some of the cases were probed by the Economic Offence wing.

Shivpal’s ‘theft’ lesson

Raking up controversy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle Shivpal Yadav in his address to district officials in Etah had said that if they work hard, they can steal a little but they cannot go to the extent of plundering the state exchequer.
The bizarre statement has sparked sharp reactions from the opposition parties.

On Thursday, the PWD Minister while addressing a meeting has said, “Maine to usi din PWD walo se khule aam keh diya tha agar mehnat karoge to thodi bahut chori kar sakte ho, dakaiti nahi daloge (I have already told PWD people openly that if you work hard, you can steal a little, but don’t behave like dacoits”.

“Agar mehnat karoge, jee lagaoge, agar inhe meetha paani de doge to chori kar sakte ho (If you work hard, if you give them water then you can steal),” he had stated.