File photo used for representation.

BAREILLY: Apparently, a large number of government employees are yet to follow UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath 's directive to reach office by 9am sharp.

This was clear on Friday when top officials took the attendance of each department at Bareilly's Vikas Bhavan and ended up marking 98% of the staff "absent" as they had not reported on time.

Far from being embarrassed, the staff erupted in anger saying that the "order" did not apply to them and staged a protest outside the building.

The visibly agitated staffers gathered at Vikas Bhavan's compound to protest against the disciplinary action taken against them.

As the protest intensified, employees started raising slogans like "Inquilab Zindabad". Some were also heard raising slogans against CM Yogi Adityanath.

"The government order had directed only top officials to be present by 9am and look into the grievances of public. It didn't mention that all the other staffers should follow the same timings. The disciplinary action mirrors the frustration of officials who were stripped of their red beacons," said Salman Jameer , a staffer.

A delegation led by the president of the Vikas Bhavan Karmachari Kalyan Parishad gheraoed several officials, including Sahitya Prakash Mishra , project director at district rural development authority.

"We asked the officials to show the order which has mentioned that even staffers have to follow the revised timings. They had no answer," Dubey told TOI.

The senior officials who have already toed the line and were present in their respective offices by 9am justified the disciplinary action against the erring staffers.

"The order applies to all government offices of the state government and there is no scope of any exception. The erring employees will have to fall in line or face the music," district development officer (DDO) Ram Rakshpal Yadav told TOI.

The government, in its order, had revised the working hours to 9am to 6pm from the earlier 10am to 5pm.

The Adityanath-led UP government has taken several other proactive measures to improve the work culture at government offices, such as prohibiting chewing of pan and gutka at workplace.

