Patna divisional commissioner KP Ramaiah (left) meets visitors at the janata darbar on Friday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, March 2: Dressing like a politician is fine at most places, but not at the janata darbar of divisional commissioner K.P. Ramaiah. You can even get a dressing down from the officer for sporting such attire.

“Kurta-pyjama pahanne se neta nahi baniyega aap (You will not become a leader by just wearing a kurta and a pyjama),” Ramaiah today told Birendra Manjhi, a complainant at his janata darbar.

Manjhi, a resident of Masaudhi, accompanied his friend to the darbar. Ramaiah looked once at him and told him that dressing up like a politician was unlikely to help his cause.

The complainant folded his hands and pleaded his friend’s case. But Ramaiah was still unimpressed.

“I have heard your plea. You can go now. I have to meet others as well,” the commissioner said.

Asked why he had dressed like a politician, Manjhi told The Telegraph: “I thought dressing like a politician will help my friend’s cause. What harm is there is wearing kurta-pyjama? All politicians wear it these days.”

After he departed, Ramaiah told The Telegraph: “We have a lot of experience. We have been meeting such people for years. They feel that wearing a white kurta and pyjama with white shoes will turn them into politicians. They have a misconception that bureaucrats listen only to politicians. We do our job irrespective of the social status of the person visiting the janata darbar.”

Soon another visitor — Haldar Kant Mishra — sent his visiting card to the commissioner. The Patna resident claimed that he was a JD(U) member and requested the commissioner to get his friend’s daughter admitted to Kendriya Vidyalaya on Bailey Road.

“See, one more has come,” said the commissioner.

“We cannot prevent such people from coming to the janata darbar. But complainants must try to avoid such practices. We are here to serve every citizen equally.”