Dumraon MLA Daud Ali complains to district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Singh at his janata darbar in Patna on Thursday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Feb. 9: Public representatives are not used to waiting at the offices of bureaucrats. JD(U) legislator from Dumraon Daud Ali was taken aback when he was made to sit for 20 minutes at the janata darbar of Patna district magistrate (DM) Sanjay Kumar Singh today.

Though the legislator did not express his discomfort in as many words, he did claim that he was not informed about the DM’s darbar at the collectorate.

Daud arrived at Singh’s office with the complaint of bidi factory workers. The darbar was packed with visitors and Daud could only manage to greet a hello to the officer from a distance.

Singh looked at the legislator and requested him to take a seat. “Kindly take a seat. I am listening to the other complaints. I will be there in a short while,” he said.

Since most of the seats in the hall were occupied, Singh asked Daud to wait in the next room. The legislator moved to the other room with a smile and was seen arranging the documents that he had brought with him.

The DM spoke to the MLA for exactly four minutes (11.57am to 12.01pm) but not before the latter had waited for 20 minutes.

The legislator narrated his complaint in front of the visitors. “DM sahab, there is scheme of the central government to provide housing facility to bidi factory workers. Rs 40,000 is given by the Centre and Rs 5,000 is provided by the state government for the same. The BDO (block development officer) plays a very significant role in making the arrangement. Unless he signs the document, the workers will not get the house. I want you to instruct the BDO of Phulwari to do his duty. I have no other complaints, kindly look into the matter.”

Singh listened attentively and said: “Okay, I will look into the matter. You submit a photocopy of the documents you are carrying with you. I will go through them.”

After ten minutes, Arvind Singh, the man who was accompanying the MLA, returned with the photocopies and handed them over to Daud.

The MLA went back to the table of the DM and said: “DM sahab, here are the photocopies. Kindly look into the matter, I just want that the poor bidi factory workers to get the house as per the scheme. I hope you understand the importance of this matter.”

Singh replied: “Okay, I got it. You go, I will look into the matter.”

The politician was not to leave with a mere assurance. “DM sahab, they are labourers,” he insisted.

“I have got it. Do not worry. I will ask the officer concerned to look into this matter immediately,” the DM said. On being asked about the MLA visit to his darbar, Singh said: “Anybody can come to the darbar and everyone is equal over here. No doubt he is an MLA but no special treatment can be given to him. He (Daud) told me over the phone that he wants to meet me. I told him I am sitting at the collectorate.”

Daud, meanwhile, told The Telegraph: “I have been trying to meet him (Singh) for the past one month. I am happy that today he took some time out to meet me. I was not aware of his janata darbar or else I would have come some other time. Anyway, he gave me enough time and treated me well. I did not mind anything.”