Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a new directive asking all government officials to stand up if a minister, MP or an MLA walks in. The gesture will have to be repeated when these dignitaries leave.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar has issued these instructions as part of the Protocol of Public Representatives. It is said in this directive that if MPs or MLAs come to meet, officers will have to stand up and welcome them and do the same to bid them farewell.

Kumar’s letter also suggests that disciplinary action will be taken against officers who do not abide by the protocol and also in case of complaints regarding them violating the protocol.

Over the past few months, many MPs and MLAs have complained to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding officers not paying heed to them. Soon, the UP Chief Secretary came up with this order in which, he has also asked the officers to do their work on a priority basis.

The directive also states that these bureaucrats cannot go to government-funded events as chief guests.

The Chief Secretary has said that the government has come to notice that despite issuing repeated guidelines, general etiquette and protocol is not being followed properly with regard to MPs and MLAs.

It has also been said that if the officers are unable to work as suggested by the MPs and MLAs, then they should politely tell them about their problem.

The order clearly states that if any public representative comes to meet the officials for some work related to the public, then full respect should be given to them and officers should stand up from their seats and welcome the legislators.

The officers should also reply to all letters sent by these public representatives and answer their calls.

About three months back, UP cabinet minister Om Prakash Rajbhar had threatened to resign and had staged a sit-in against the Ghazipur District Magistrate as the DM had refused to entertain his complaint.