Mumbai : Governor C V Rao, who administered the oath of cleanliness to Mantralaya employees on Gandhi Jayanti, breezed in and out of the state secretariat in 15 minutes.
He spoke neither to the employees, several of whom had come from as far as Bhiwandi and Ghansoli, and nor did he address the media.
It did not appear as if he was initiating one of the PM’s most ambitious projects. The Clean India Campaign involves cleanliness in houses as well as public places such offices, railway stations, bus stands, roads etc. Since Maharashtra is under President’s rule at the moment, the oath was administered by the Governor, unlike the Chief Ministers in other states. No politician was invited for the same in the backdrop of the Assembly election’s moral code of conduct being in place.
The programme, which started at 9 45 am, included the Governor garlanding the portraits of Gandhiji and Lal Bahadur Shastri. He then read out the oath, which said, “As Indians, it is our responsibility to free India from the malaise of uncleanliness, and that we should commit two hours every week for the same. I will neither litter myelf, nor allow others to do it.
I will keep my premises clean. I pledge to make 100 other citizens commit to this cause.” Mantralaya employees repeated the oath after him. He then left for his other engagements and the programme was declared over. Guests were not even served tea since the Mantralaya canteen was shut on the day.
Swapnali Gaokar, Jayshri Aher and Bharti Pagdhare, all employees of Mantralay’s General Administration department, said that they were happy to attend the programme since the Governor took out time for it. “Although every citizen follows the pledge in real life, this was an official programme to mark our commitment to it,” Gaokar said.
Mohan Ankaram, another employee from the agriculture department, also said that it was a good initiative on part of the PM.
However, there was an undercurrent of discontent among employees who had to come all the way for such a short programme.
Also present on the occasion was advisor to the Governor and former Union Home Secretary Anil Baijal, Chief Secretary Swadheen Kshatriya and senior officers and staff of Mantralaya.
