By Puli Sharath Kumar
Copyright deccanchronicle
KARIMNAGAR: The Praja Palana Day celebrations in Rajanna Sircilla district on Wednesday were overshadowed by a major protocol dispute involving district collector Sandeep Kumar Jha. The event, where Government Whip and local MLA from Vemulawada, Adi Srinivas, attended as the official chief guest, turned controversial after the collector arrived late and allegedly failed to follow official procedures, causing a significant rift between the administration and public representatives.The primary point of contention was the collector’s delayed arrival for the main event. As the government’s designated chief guest, MLA Adi Srinivas was to be formally welcomed by the collector before the ceremony began. Instead, the MLA was left to proceed to the stage alone. With no collector present, the MLA hoisted the national flag and initiated the national anthem. The collector reportedly arrived only during the final moments of the anthem, an act perceived as a breach of protocol and disrespect for the government’s official representative as well as the national occasion. This was not the first such incident. A similar lapse had occurred during Independence Day celebrations on August 15. For public representatives like Srinivas, these repeated protocol violations are seen as more than mere tardiness; they are viewed as signs of disrespect. The dispute escalated after MLA Adi Srinivas lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and the Chief Secretary, demanding immediate action. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Srinivas said, “On August 15 also, the collector showed disrespect by sitting with one leg over the other on the dais instead of receiving guests. I ignored it then to avoid making a scene. But this time, despite informing higher authorities about his behaviour, he still neglected the guests and came late. To make matters worse, he disrespected the country by walking onto the stage during the national anthem.” Attempts by Deccan Chronicle to contact collector Sandeep Kumar Jha for comment went unanswered.
