In a rare praise, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has asked officials in Uttar Pradesh to emulate her estranged sister-in-law and Congress President Sonia Gandhi to check corruption.



The Union Minister for Women and Child Development, who represents Pilibhit in Lok Sabha, cited the example during a meeting with officials of the vigilance and monitoring committee in the district yesterday when an official alleged about corruption in the Basic Shiksha Adhikari's (BSA) office.



It was alleged that certain schools, which had taken recognition for junior standard classes, were running classes for higher standards as well.



Maneka then asked BSA Ambrish Kumar Yadav to remove all the clerks in the department but he replied that he did not have the authority to do so.



At this, Maneka said, "I have heard that one person, claiming to be a relative of Sonia Gandhi, had opened a shop and asked people to come to him for works...So what did Sonia Gandhi do? She put up an advertisement in newspapers asking people not to go to him and instead go to officials of the department".



"I want you to do the same. Put out an advertisement that those who want recognition should directly come to you. Put up a notice in your office, too. We will order a Vigilance inquiry on the babus," she told the official.