An interaction on Wednesday between members of a city-based chamber of commerce and fire minister Javed Ahmed Khan deviated from the standard practice of feel-good questions, leaving him and his retinue of officials fumbling for answers.

“The usual complaint against the department is that it often responds late even when an incident has been reported immediately after it occurs. The fire service is supposed to reach the spot in three to five minutes,” Sanjay Agarwal, senior vice-president of the MCC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in his opening remarks.

That set the tone for the rest of the interaction at the chamber’s conference hall in central Calcutta. One participant after another politely but firmly either questioned or commented on the functioning of the fire services department in a city where tinder-box buildings abound.

“Let me be very crude. As individuals, we cannot procure a fire licence unless we go through touts. They ask us to procure equipment from particular shops, saying that would help us in getting the licence,” said businessman Hemant Sarawgi, who still hasn’t got one for his manufacturing unit.

The man in the line of fire sat through it with a mostly smiling face. His team of officials struggled not to look nervous.

Transport minister Madan Mitra would have sympathised with Khan, having faced a few home truths himself during a discussion last week with leaders of autorickshaw unions on how to discipline rogue drivers.

Jungle Mahal farmer Shiladitya Chowdhury had to spend 14 days in jail for asking Mamata Banerjee about rising fertiliser prices.

Earlier, a businessman who had asked industry minister Partha Chatterjee whether the government would acquire land for private investment in public welfare projects received a royal snub.

On Wednesday, chamber official Agarwal didn’t stop at questioning the efficiency of the fire service department. He said harassment of anyone seeking a fire licence had become the norm.

“Sir, it has been observed that although our members make all possible attempts to comply with the requirements, the department refuses to issue fire licences…. Please look into these issues so that the business community is not harassed,” he pleaded.

Agarwal said “lack of clarity and uniformity in approach” was the main problem. “In the absence of proper guidelines even architects are unaware of the provisions they need to make for fire safety in under-construction buildings,” he added.

Such plainspeak in an interactive session with a minister is unusual in a state where businesspeople are known to use every opportunity to develop a personal rapport with political leaders.

A veteran of such interactive sessions told Metro that the “gentle criticism” took him by surprise. “I was expecting only accolades for one another,” he said.

Khan, the only fire minister in the country, countered the criticism by holding owners of businesses responsible for the lack of fire safety.

“Holding seminars and discussions will not help.... The business community will have to understand its responsibility,” he said. “You cannot do business and earn money by risking the lives of other people,” he said.

The minister threatened to initiate action against all such establishments. “The chalta hai attitude cannot work anymore. Rules have to be followed,” he warned.