Mayawati suspends seven for vulgar dance show in office

LUCKNOW - Taking a serious note of alleged obscenity at a function in the premises of a health department office here, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Thursday suspended seven employees, including three top officers.

“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 and indulged in drinking (alcohol) during the installation ceremony of newly elected office bearers of the employees’ union on Wednesday night,” a government spokesman told reporters here.

“The chief minister took a serious note of the fact that such objectionable activity was carried out 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.

Those who faced action included Medical Director Ramji Lal, Additional Director R.B. Singh, Joint Director Ramesh Chandra, newly elected employees’ union president J.P. Gautam, secretary Hanuman Prasad and union office bearers S.K. Chaturvedi and Vinod Kumar.

The vulgar dance programme was held in the premises of the state health directorate in Qaiserbagh area.

“More heads may roll once a detailed inquiry report is submitted,” the spokesman added.

A three-member committee headed by Shobnath, director of Balrampur Hospital, has been set up to probe the matter.

One of the suspended employee and union president Gautam said: “This unilateral action ordered by the government would not be tolerated; the government cannot order punishment of employees simply on the basis of media reports.”

“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,” he said.

Gautam said: “Holding such celebrations as part of the installation of new union office bearers was an annual affair. It (installation of new office bearers) is traditionally followed by a cultural event.”

Refuting the charge of obscenity, he said: “There was no obscene act, nor did any employee indulge in drinking.”