Close on the heels of the “shoe-cleaning” episode, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati is in news again after an ad-hoc woman school-teacher was sacked allegedly for approaching her with a personal petition during her visit to the institution.
Officials maintained that Preeti Pandey, deployed as a “Siksha Mitra” (ad-hoc teacher) in a primary school in Naunikpur village of the district, was removed for breaching the security cordon of the chief minister and "not taking interest in educational activities".
Ms Pandey said she tried to give a petition to Mayawati from her sister-in-law who was being allegedly harassed by in-laws. The chief minister told her that "don't give it to me" and moved away, she said.
The teacher approached the chief minister as she was about to enter her car after completing a visit to the school on February 6. Ms Pandey said that the petition was taken by some official accompanying Mayawati but she was later sacked for submitting the complaint.
"I have been sacked because I gave my petition to behnji. My sister-in-law told me that she will commit suicide if I do not give the complaint. I had no option," Ms Pandey said.
Basic education officer Raj Bahadur sacked the woman on charges of breaching the security cordon of the CM and "not taking interest in educational activities".
The BSA said that he had earlier received complaints against her that she was not taking interest in her work.
District education officer Jagdish Prasad said the teacher's service was terminated as she violated protocol and breached the security of the chief minister.
The news has come to the fore soon after a political storm over the “shoe-cleaning” incident involving the chief minister which took place during the same visit.
A DSP-rank personal security officer of Mayawati bent low to clean her soiled shoes with his handkerchief after which her political opponents accused the BSP supremo of having a "feudalistic attitude."
Both the state government and the ruling BSP have downplayed the show-wiping incident calling it a non-issue and saying that whatever PSO Padam Singh did was "part of his duty".