NEW DELHI -- Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday pulled up bureaucrats and asked them to be punctual after an event that he attended got delayed by a few minutes.
Singh, who was the chief guest at the inaugural session of an event to mark the Civil Services Day in New Delhi, said he was worried that a function of bureaucrats got delayed by 12 minutes and the attendees kept entering the venue even after it formally began.
"I was a little bit worried today. The programme was supposed to start at 9.45 (AM). We reached five minutes before the scheduled time. But it started at 9.57 (AM)," he said at the event attended mostly by officers belonging to IAS and other all India services.
Singh said there maybe many reasons for the delayed start and some reasons may be right, but there should be an introspection as to why the delay was caused on Thursday.
"It would have been good that we would not have deviated (from the scheduled time). Has there been any laxity in our commitment?" he asked.
Referring to the country's first Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who had termed the civil services as the 'steel frame' of India, Singh asked whether the 'steel frame' of the civil services has become weak?
"I am saying this as I think we all should introspect seriously. I am raising this issue as... I know for some people this may come across as weird.. but I thought it is appropriate to raise the issue before all of you," he said.
Because, the Home Minister said, the Civil Services Day is such an occasion where everyone introspects, discusses about the journey that was planned.
"What we have achieved so far and what should we do in the future. That's why I have raised the issue," he said.
Singh said he got the opportunity to work as a minister several times and he had served as a chief minister too.
"When I was invited for a function, when I was the chief minister, it was quite natural that I would reach the venue 10 minutes before the scheduled time. But as a minister also, I have seen that whenever I have to go to attend a function, people reach the venue a few minutes before the scheduled time. But for the first time I have seen...(people getting late)," he said.
The function was attended by Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, Additional Principal Secretary to Prime Minister P K Mishra, Secretaries of many central ministries and departments among others.
Tamil Nadu Farmers Protest In Delhi
(01 of17)
Open Image Modal (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(02 of17)
Open Image ModalTamil Nadu farmer pretending to eat grass during a protest at Jantar Mantar. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(03 of17)
Open Image ModalTamil Nadu farmer pretending to eat grass during a protest at Jantar Mantar. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(04 of17)
Open Image ModalFarmers from Tamil Nadu have been protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for almost four weeks now, demanding the waiver of their loans. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(05 of17)
Open Image ModalOver three lakh farmers have committed suicide in India since 1995. These suicides have largely been attributed to debt, drought, crop failure or poor returns. (credit:Barcroft Media via Getty Images)
(06 of17)
Open Image ModalThe farmers have been using symbolic props such as ropes tied as noose, begging bowls during the protest. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(07 of17)
Open Image Modal (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(08 of17)
Open Image ModalMany of the farmers shaved half of their heads as a sign of protest. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(09 of17)
Open Image ModalThe skull they used during the protest reportedly symbolised the deaths of their fellow farmers who died apparently due to severe drought in the state. (credit:The India Today Group via Getty Images)
(10 of17)
Open Image ModalThey used ropes to 'hang' themselves in front of the national media. (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(11 of17)
Open Image ModalMany of the farmers also performed their own symbolic 'cremations', reiterating the fact that if the situation in the state continued, they'd have no choice but to die. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(12 of17)
Open Image ModalThey even held live mice in their mouths to demonstrate that they will have to feed on them if the government fails to declare drought relief packages and waiver loans for the farmers in Tamil Nadu. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(13 of17)
Open Image Modal (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(14 of17)
Open Image ModalThe farmers even enacted eating a snake as a form of protest. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(15 of17)
Open Image Modal (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(16 of17)
Open Image Modal (credit:Barcroft Media via Getty Images)
(17 of17)
Open Image ModalOn 14 April, farmers were seen cross-dressed as women during a month long protest at Jantar Mantar. (credit:Barcroft Media via Getty Images)