- By Raju Kumar
- Thu, 27 Mar 2025 01:18 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a bizarre incident, an event graced by the Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma faced a power outage, compelling him to address the programme in the dark in Mau, his hometown.
The video clips of the incident in which the minister is seen in the dark and his supporters flashed phones' lights. After the event, as Sharma prepared to leave, he found himself in an awkward situation as he searched for his footwear using the flashlight from mobile phones.
Action against Power Department staff
According to an official, the authorities issued an order after the incident, taking action against four power department officials, at least two of them suspended.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Engineer Sanjay Vaish has been asked for an explanation, while Executive Engineer Bhuvanraj Singh has been served a charge sheet. Sub-Divisional Officer Prakash Singh and Junior Engineer OP Khushwaha have been suspended, according to the order.
Sharma, who was in Mau on Wednesday to participate in a three-day event to mark eight years of the BJP government in the state, was seen upset with the unwanted turn of events.
Minister addresses gathering in dark
Sharma visited his home town on the locals' invitation. They requested him to a felicitation ceremony at Hanuman Ghat, where he was compelled to deliver his speech amid an outage.
The power failure lasted for hours on Bandh Road, one of the town's chief areas, with officials nowhere to be seen.
The incident sparked discontent among BJP workers, some of whom alleged that local authorities deliberately caused an outage to tarnish the minister's image.
The March 25-27 event saw the participation of several other ministers, including Girish Chandra Yadav (Independent charge) and Panchayati Raj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar.
