It was raining jokes and ridicule on Sunday, with many Twitter users sharing a photo of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan being carried by people in his security profile during a visit to flood-hit Panna.
A source said a home guard and a district policeman carried the CM in their arms across a flooded stream near Samtana village.
In another photograph, Chouhan can be seen walking barefoot in muddied water, while his shoes are being carried by a security officer.
A senior officer in the chief minister’s office said Chouhan had trouble walking after his foot hit a hard object in the mud. “That’s why the security personnel lifted him on their own, despite insistence from the CM not to do so. The nullah (stream) was deeper ahead, hence security personnel took the decision out of security concerns as despite pain in his foot, the CM decided to tour the flooded area. He wanted to meet the affected people and assess the situation caused by heavy rains and flood,” the officer said on condition of anonymity.
After meeting flood-affected families in Satna on Saturday night, Chouhan visited Rewa and Panna on Sunday and surveyed inundated areas. At a relief camp, Chouhan told people he had come to share their difficulties and pains.
{{/usCountry}}After meeting flood-affected families in Satna on Saturday night, Chouhan visited Rewa and Panna on Sunday and surveyed inundated areas. At a relief camp, Chouhan told people he had come to share their difficulties and pains.
{{/usCountry}}Congress leader Randeep Surjewala also took a dig at Chouhan, tweeting the photo of securitymen carrying the Madhya Pradesh CM: “Aerial survey of floods being done by CM, Shivraj Singh Chouhan Ji in J class seat!!! See it to believe it.”
In 2013, a television journalist reporting on the flash floods and landslides in Uttarakhand had triggered outrage on social media after a video clip went viral showing him speaking into the camera while sitting on the shoulders of a villager. He said the villager had hoisted him onto his shoulders as a sign of respect.
Here is a collection of tweets reacting to the image of Chouhan being carried by security personnel: