The Centre on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Vivek Banzal, director at Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), following the controversy over his demands during his two-day visit to Prayagraj.
Union communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia objected to the arrangements outlined in the now-viral document, calling them a violation of established norms.
“I have made it very clear that this is improper and a violation of established rules and traditions. It is unacceptable to me. It is shocking,” Scindia said, adding that appropriate action would follow.
Vivek Banzal, an Indian Telecommunication Service officer from the 1987 batch with over 35 years of experience, was scheduled to travel to Prayagraj on February 25 to 26.
The visit was reportedly cancelled after the itinerary drew public scrutiny.
A 21-point document detailing arrangements for the trip circulated widely on social media.
The Telegraph Online has not verified the authenticity of the document.
The plan was assigned to nearly 50 officials — including junior technical officers, engineers, and divisional-level staff — to oversee various aspects of his visit.
The itinerary reportedly included elaborate logistical arrangements for visits to the Sangam, Hanuman Temple, Akshayavat, and Patalpuri Temple.
Among the details were provisions for personal care items such as hair oil, combs, toothpaste, shaving kits, slippers, and undergarments.
Reports indicated that eight bath kits — six for men and two for women — were arranged, with a senior official designated to supervise post-bath coordination.
The plan also required vehicles used for local movement to be stocked with water bottles, snacks and other amenities, while designated personnel were assigned duties ranging from photography to managing personal belongings after bathing rituals.
The extensive preparations were described in the document as part of “comfort management” during the director’s stay.
The demands drew criticism over what several users called a “royal protocol”, reigniting debate around accountability, VIP culture and use of public resources within government-run entities.
Social media were quick to point out the disconnect between the company’s fiscal struggles and the deployment of senior personnel to manage a director’s laundry and snacks.
Netizens dubbed the itinerary a “maharaja-level" tour, questioning why a loss-making public sector undertaking (PSU) would waste manpower on personal errands during a religious visit.
One user on X posted, “Plenty of other bureaucrats do the same. Unfortunately, this guy got caught. Issue proper administrative instructions so that in future this does not happen. Because of weak internal policies, loopholes are exploited by self serving interests.”
Another wrote, “One week is enough for the incident to fade away from public memory. The bureaucrat will lie low for some time.”
Many users created memes highlighting the absurdity of the demands, with some calling it an "excellent SOP".
BSNL India in a post on X on February 21, said, "BSNL has standing instructions in place regarding the manner in which official visits are to be handled. An instance of non-adherence to the same has been taken note of. The instance noted is not in conformity with the professional standards and values of BSNL.
Appropriate action has been taken against the concerned. Further, instructions have been issued reiterating strict adherence to extant instructions. BSNL employees are reminded to strictly adhere to prescribed conduct rules and instructions in this regard," the post said.
