E-Paper
SDO suspended for revering Osama as ‘best engineer in the world’
A few members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bharat) raised an objection over the poster on Wednesday and brought it to the notice of officials. Subsequently, it was removed after their protest, but the SDO remained unfazed
KANPUR A poster of terrorist Osama bin Laden with a caption – ‘most respected Osama bin Laden ji, the best engineer in the world’ – allegedly pasted by a sub divisional officer on the wall of the electricity department office in Nawabganj division of Farrukhabad has triggered a controversy.
The name of SDO Ravindra Kumar Gautam, an engineer, was purportedly written below the poster. A few members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bharat) raised an objection over it on Wednesday and brought it to the notice of officials in the department. Subsequently, the poster was removed after their protest, but Gautam remained unfazed.
Gautam said: “Osama bin Laden was my guru and I consider him the best engineer in the world. I have more posters with me.”
BKU (Bharat) district president Pramod Mishra said he informed the district magistrate and other officials about the poster.
Managing director of Dakshinanchal Vidyut Nigam Amit Kishore suspended SDO Ravindra Gautam over the issue. “During the suspension period, Gautam will be attached with Kannauj,” stated the MD.
Executive engineer SK Srivastava said Gautam had lost his mental balance. “The chief engineer and I have stopped taking his calls. He has been behaving weirdly for some time and has been making wild allegations against everyone,” he said.
SP (Farrukhabad) Ashok Meena said the poster incident in the power department office and the engineer revering a terrorist had been brought to his notice. “Though no one has formally complained against the SDO, the police have been asked to initiate an inquiry into the matter,” he added.
