Katni (Madhya Pradesh): The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has suspended two officials and issued show-cause notices to others over the removal of former Union Minister Madhavrao Scindia's statue in an objectionable manner in Katni district.
A video of the incident, now going viral on social media, shows the statue being removed with the help of an JCB machine. Shockingly, the statue was tied with a noose around its neck as it was shifted, sparking outrage and criticism.
Watch the video below :-
Two employees NHAI, team leader Rajesh Kumar Nema and assistant bridge engineer Deepak Soni, have been suspended immediately. Engineers from the construction company, Manoj Verma and Ashish Singh Parihar, were also suspended, according to NHAI's Katni Project Director, Anand Prasad.
Show-cause notices have also been issued to other NHAI officials involved in the incident, Prasad said over a phone call.
In a statement, Prasad explained that the Katni bypass, part of National Highway 30, is being expanded from two lanes to four lanes. The statue of former Union Minister Madhavrao Scindia, located at Chaka Junction, needed to be moved to another location. However, news reports revealed that the statue was shifted in a disrespectful manner. After these reports came to light, action was taken against those responsible.
Madhavrao Scindia, the late father of current Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, served as a prominent leader and former Railway Minister. The removal of his statue in such a disrespectful manner has raised questions, especially as the BJP is in power in the state and Jyotiraditya Scindia holds a key position in the central government.
Authorities are now investigating the matter, and strict action is expected against those responsible for the incident.
