Maya suspends senior UP officials for 'obscenity'

Taking serious note of alleged obscenity at a cultural event organised in the state health ministry, the Mayawati administration on Thursday ordered suspension of three top officers and four office bearers of the employees union.

"More heads would roll once the three-member inquiry committee appointed by the government submits its report," said a spokesperson of the Uttar Pradesh government.

"Action was ordered on the basis of a prima facie report submitted by an inquiry committee,  which confirmed that departmental officials organised an obscene dance programme and indulged in drinking during the installation ceremony of newly elected office bearers of the employees union on Wednesday night," he said.

"The chief minister took serious note of the fact that such objectionable activity was carried on within the precincts of the office of medical and health services director general and that too in the presence of some senior officials," he said.

Among those in the firing line were Medical Director Dr Ramji Lal, Additional Director Dr R B Singh, Joint Director Dr. Ramesh Chandra, newly elected Employees Union President J P Gautam, Secretary Hanuman Prasad and office bearers S K Chaturvedi and Vinod Kumar.

A three-member committee headed by Dr Shobnath, who is the director of Balrampur Hospital, has been set up to probe the whole affair.

"Anyone taking such undue liberties would be taken to task," warned the spokesman.

Reacting to the suspension order, Employees Union President J P Gautam said, "This unilateral action ordered by the government would not be tolerated".

Gautam added, "We have been punished without even a preliminary inquiry and none of us have been even given an opportunity to be heard. No law permits such action on the basis of hearsay."

Asked to comment on the allegations, Gautam said, "Well, holding such celebrations as a part of the installation of new union office bearers is an annual affair and it is traditionally followed by a cultural event."

Refuting the charge of 'obscenity', he said, "There was no obscene act, nor did any of our employees indulge in drinking."

He added, "But the place is open and there is no mechanism to prevent outsiders from walking into the enclosure."