Maneka’s fury has no bounds; she can even mock PM Modi
New Delhi:
Maneka Sanjay
Gandhi, the
Union Cabinet
Minister for
Women & Child
Development, can
be sarcastic, even
to the Prime
Minister of India.
An upset Ms.
Gandhi had some
time back mocked
Narendra Modi,
that too in an email to some outside, for not responding to one of her proposals on fortified foods to children.
A few months back (on Feb 2, 2017), replying an e-mail from Dr. Raj Kumar Bhandari (owner of Boutique Foods
LLP, Din; 7567270) on the delay in approving a proposal on supply of Energy Dense Nutrient Supplements the
minster scathingly commented, “I am being opposed on malnutrition by the Secretary. The PM has no time (to
listen to malnutrition issue). I have taken the matter to the PMO again and again but this (malnutrition) is not
their area of interest.”
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14-7-2020 Maneka’s fury has no bounds; she can even mock PM Modi| APN News
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Of course Ms. Maneka Gandhi is a different breed of politician. The Union Minister for Women and Child
Development has an acidic tongue that could be used against anyone. May it be her subordinates, top ranking
bureaucrats, cabinet colleagues or even Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Just a few months back Colonel Deepaka Kumar, Member Secretary and CEO to Central Adoption Resource
Authority (CARA), a statutory body of Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India, had a
chance to taste the fury of the Cabinet Minister who belongs to a party which wants its members to maintain
civility in public life.
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14-7-2020 Maneka’s fury has no bounds; she can even mock PM Modi| APN News
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Reacting to a replay from Deepak related to an adoption case, on May I, 2017 the cabinet minister wrote to the
Member Secretary “this is the worst reply anyone could give. The person has asked you for help with 5 children
who have been with them for one year. Instead of picking up a phone, and getting them released for adoption, you
have given some preachy garbage of the rules which we all know that makes no sense and does nothing to resolve
the situation. You disappoint me daily. You have very little commonsense and even that you do not use. Now solve
this problem and let me kno (know) what you have done in practical terms. Ring up the centre and the CWC (Child
Welfare Committee) and the state government (Karnataka) and get the children released immediately (for
adoption).”
Col. Deepak was reprimanded for the secretary was unwilling to overlook the adoption law in a particular case.
Col. Deepak Kumar is a serving Army Officer from the Signals and was handpicked by the Government of India to
head the CARA to curb the extensive corruption in adoption. According to sources the minister was deeply
annoyed at the appointment of a senior Army officer to scrutinize and regulate adoption process.
On a similar issue the minister has used even more offensive language against the Secretary. Responding to a
complaint dated on Saturday, May 6, 2017 (regarding “delay” in getting NOC for adoption) from one Akshya
Koshy Mason, a US resident, the minster wrote to Col. Deepak on the same day, “You take three months to give
NOCs??? You have a backlog of months? If this true, you are out of a job on Monday. Is there any nuisance that
you have not committed? Give them their NOC today ad send me proof. If you have to open the office, open it. You
are the reason why we are simply not growing and why so many orphans are still rotting in homes.
There are many more e-mail communications in which she has use abusive and uncivil language to this officer of
repute.
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14-7-2020 Maneka’s fury has no bounds; she can even mock PM Modi| APN News
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The minister seems to have scant regard for the Prime Minister’s Office even. For example, she did not bother to
respond to a letter from the Prime Minister asking her ministry to look into a complaint relating to STEP (Support
to Training and Employment Programme for Women). Referring to the delay in receiving any response from her
ministry, the concerned Joint Secretary to PM wrote a letter on May 26, 2015, “….this office had sought the
comments of the Ministry of Women & Child Development vide PMO ID of even number dated 23.04.2015. So far,
no response has been received.”
When she gets a chance she takes a dig at other ministries also. Recently, justifying her personal interference in
selecting a group of NGOs for STEP, the minister wrote in her own handwriting to an additional Secretary, “I have
taken on this task (selecting NGOs ) & have wanted to teach all the JS’s (Joint Secretary) &directors how to look at
a proposal…. Every JS &NICPD person has been called to learn through example so that the money that was given
so badly-and is continued to be given badly to vested interests & fake NGOs by other ministries –is not done here.”
Saying so, she is directly accusing other ministries misusing funds through fake NGOs. This is a serious allegation
from a Cabinet Minister.
Last year a Joint Secretary had lodged a formal complaint against Maneka Gandhi for “unwarranted public
rebuking by the Honble Minister (WCD) on 10.11.2016 at the Imphal Airport”. According to the officer the
minister had also threatened to slap him publicly if he dared to complain against her anymore. The Joint Secretary
alleged that the minister abused him “outside the Arrival Lounge of the Imphal Airport in front of another Joint
Secretary of the same ministry Mr. K M Chalai and many Ministry officials and state government officials and the
general public”, for not carrying her baggage personally from the aircraft. As per his complaint the fuming minster
asked, “Did I not I not ask you to carry my baggage personally.” The complaint further said that the minister had
publicly admonished him saying that he as mentally sick.
Last year a case was registered against Maneka Gandhi for slapping and kicking Pilibhit Tiger Reserve’s gate man
Roop Lal Verma.
Many in the ruling BJP feels Maneka Gandhi has been a thorn in the flush party. A section of the bureaucracy has
been up in arms against the Minister for her ‘unruly’ behavior. Recently she has shifted a Joint secretary to much
less important position because the officer never compromised the procedures to in certain cases the minister had
‘special interest.’
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