Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti expressed apologies for her intemperate language used during a conversation with a delegation after a video with her harsh comments about bureaucracy appeared on social media on Monday. In the video, she can be heard saying that the government staff is merely there to ‘pick up our (leaders’) slippers.’ Several people shared the video on social media.
‘Aapko Nahi Pata Bureaucracy Kuchh Nahi Hoti, Chappal Uthanewali Hoti Hai. Chappal Uthati Hai Hamari. Hum Log Hi Raji Ho Jate hai Uske Liye. (You do not know that bureaucracy is nothing. Bureaucracy is there to pick up our chappals (slippers). They pick up our slippers. We only got agreed for that),’ she is heard saying in the video.
The ex-CM of Madhya Pradesh further stated that a government files motions only after a discussion amongst the concerned ministries and bureaucrats. She said: ‘Do you think bureaucracy controls the leader?..no, first they talk (with us) in private, then bureaucracy makes a file and processes it. I have been a minister at the Centre for 11 years, I have been a Chief Minister. First, we (leaders and bureaucracy talk) discuss then a file moves.’
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Bharti clarified the situation in a series of tweets after the video surfaced, claiming it was an informal meeting with a group of people from other backward classes (OBCs) at her home in Bhopal, and the video of the same went viral on social media.
‘I am thankful to the media that they showed my complete video because I was speaking only in defence of bureaucracy… Some of us leaders, the incompetent ones sitting in power, take the cover of bureaucracy to avoid their inefficiency to show that we are very good but the bureaucracy does not allow us to do good work,’ she said.
Bharti stated the truth ‘according to my experience is that honest bureaucracy supports a strong, true leader sitting in power having good intentions.’ After that, the BJP leader expressed regret for the rhetoric she used against bureaucracy.
‘I regret that I used unrestrained language while my sentiments were good. I learned this lesson from today that modest language should be used even in informal conversations among limited people,’ she said in another tweet.
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Digvijaya Singh called her remarks ‘highly objectionable’ in a Hindi tweet. Singh stated that the bureaucracy is dedicated to working impartially in accordance with the Constitution.
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