Traders’ leader records CM’scall, served notice, faces action

Varanasi: The city president of Akhil Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal, Rakesh Jain has landed himself in trouble for recording his telephonic conversation with chief minister Yogi Adityanath and posting it on social media.
District magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma issued a show cause notice to Jain on Sunday and sought a reply within three days for recording the conversation without permission and posting it as an audio clip on social media, failing which legal action would be initiated against him.
The action impacts the dignity of constitutional office and privacy of conversation was also breached, the notice reads.
Jain talked to the chief minister on August 22 and recorded the call and later posted the audio clip on social media. In the audio, Jain is heard complaining about private hospitals overcharging Covid patients for treatment and is told that cost for treatment has been fixed and cannot be exceeded and is assured that officials will look into the matter.
Jain also complained that the district magistrate does not respond to queries on the portal and has curbed market timings even though the state government has allowed opening of markets from 9am to 9pm.
Sharma told TOI on Monday, “The chief minister’s office took serious note of this act and directed the district administration to take necessary action against Jain. A show cause notice was issued to Jain on Sunday.”
Sharma said apart from serving show cause notice to Jain, the state president of Akhil Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal has also been asked to initiate necessary action against him for this act.
Regarding grievances of Jain, Sharma said the district administration has no objection over the complaints made against it in the capacity of a traders’ union leader.