Tourism Minister Anand Singh has landed in controversy after photographs of the expensive Diwali gifts that he gave elected members of his Hosapete constituency went viral. The invitation to attend the Lakshmi puja at his house was accompanied by the box containing gold, silver, clothing, and cash.
The Hosapete constituency has one Municipal Corporation with 35 elected and five nominated members, and 10-gram panchayats with 182 members.
Singh has distributed two sets of gift boxes one for municipal corporation members and the other for gram panchayat members. While Rs 1 lakh cash, 144 gm of gold, 1 kg of silver, a silk sari, a dhoti, and a dry fruit box were gifted to municipal members, while panchayat members received comparatively lesser cash and no gold, but all the other items.
Some elected municipal members refused to take the gift boxes, alleging that the gifts were timed around the fast-approaching Assembly elections.
But Singh’s supporters claim he sends Diwali gifts to elected representatives every year, and that his gesture sounds controversial only this time in light of the impending polls.
Apart from elected representatives, officials and other important persons in the district, they claim, have also received the gift boxes. “Singh sends gift boxes as part of the invitation during every Ganesha and Diwali festival. He sends them to his close friends and elected representatives. We are not sure why it has been whipped into a controversy,” said a supporter.
Singh has refused to comment on the criticism.
