AP Govt Ads: Why Are Ministers’ Photos Missing? Chandrababu’s Orders Ignored?
The question now is: Are the officials of the Information and Public Relations Department (I&PR) not listening to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu? Or, after facing criticism, did Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu merely make some token statements and instruct the I&PR officials to continue functioning as usual? After seeing the advertisement published in Andhra Pradesh newspapers on Saturday, it is natural for anyone to have the same doubt. A few days ago, a series of irrigation project inauguration programmes were held. At that time, the government advertisements issued for those programmes did not carry the photographs of Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu. Ever since the coalition government came to power, except on one or two occasions, government advertisements have mostly carried only the photographs of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and another minister, Nara Lokesh. There appears to be an attempt to convey that the government means only these three, while all the other ministers are merely nominal.
Even though news reports have been published several times on this issue, the Andhra Pradesh government continues to behave as if it can do whatever it wants. However, media reports emerged a few days ago that at a meeting held recently, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had clearly instructed the I&PR Department to strictly follow protocol and ensure that ministers are given a place in official advertisements. Officials say that every advertisement issued by the government is released only after obtaining clearance from the CMO. If, even after Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu gave such clear instructions, the photograph of the concerned department minister did not appear in the government advertisement, does that mean the I&PR officials do not consider the ministers? If not, there is also a discussion that Chandrababu Naidu may have given some token leak to the media and, as usual, instructed that only the photographs of the same three leaders should be used.
There is another argument as well. Some ministers are expressing doubts over whether Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu may have instructed that the concerned department minister's photograph be included in every advertisement, but Nara Lokesh, who is allegedly functioning as the unofficial Chief Minister in the government, told officials not to use the ministers' photographs. Another strange aspect here is whether these house-site pattas are actually being issued afresh. That is not the case either. The pattas that were issued earlier are only being regularised. Spending crores of rupees again on publicity for these and issuing advertisements without even carrying the photograph of the concerned minister makes the entire exercise appear to be nothing but an illusion.
