Saifai Mahotsav: A closely guarded secret
Neha Shukla,TNN | Oct 10, 2014, 07.43 PM ISTLUCKNOW: Saifai mahotsav organised in December last year is a closely-guarded secret for UP government so much so that even an RTI application could not elicit any response from the government. Worse, UP state information commission (UPSIC) refused to listen to the applicant's complaint.
UP government faced lot of flak for being insensitive and having splurged money on holding bollywood extravaganza in Saifai, in December last year, while victims of Muzaffarngar violence lived under apathetic conditions in relief camps.
The RTI application filed by activist Sanjay Sharma on January 13, 2014, in the office of the district magistrate, Etawah has got no response till date. The application sought response on the money spent in holding the event, guest list, programme list, money spent by district administration and state government and frequency of flights that operated to bring guests to the venue.
"On none of the eleven points information ever came," said Sharma. After the application did not fetch any response from the Etawah's DM office, applicant filed a complaint with the UPSIC in August, but, that was dismissed by the commission without holding even a single hearing.
Mahotsav is one of the most awaited annual events for SP held in Mulayam Singh Yadav's native village, Saifai, in Etawah. Mulayam Singh's nephew Ranbir Singh used to hold an annual wrestling meet in Saifai but after his untimely demise in 1997, the party started organising the event as Saifai Mahotsav every year to promote local talent in sports.
Though bollywood's presence has always added glitz and glamour to the event, this time it drew flak from all quarters, political and social, for wasting the taxpayers' money at the place where it was not meant to.
"I have sent my complaint to the governor's office now," said Sharma.
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