In a photo-op that went awry, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit walked away in a huff after he realised that his cleaning mission at the Namakkal bus stand was, in fact, staged.
In visuals from the ground, sanitation workers are seen strewing pieces of paper and plastic at the freshly cleaned bus stand area.
According to local media on the ground, sanitation workers had cleaned the area in preparation for the Governor's visit. When they realised that the Governor was there for a Swacch Bharat programme, the sanitation workers began placing newly bought papers, plastic covers and cigarette packets in the spot where he was supposed to clean.
As per a report in The Hindu, Governor Purohit was there to inaugurate the 'Mission Open Defecation Free Namakkal' awareness vehicle that is expected to tour the district and encourage the use and construction of toilets.
However, when the Governor reached the bus stand in Periyapatti, he quickly realised that the whole scene had been set up for the ideal photo shoot.
This is how PM Modi's Swach Bharat initiative is being mocked on the ground...TN Governor goes to Namakkal to launch a Swach Bharat rally & trash is thrown all over for the Governor to clean. Governor left the spot in a huff...what an embarrassment!!! pic.twitter.com/Dd640aGjeB
— Shabbir Ahmed (@Ahmedshabbir20) June 23, 2018
The Governor approached the cleaning area at the bus bay along with a posse of district administration officials and refused to take part in the cleaning activity.
Even as the Namakkal Municipal Corporation workers watched, the Governor said, “You have created it.”
He then walked away even as the authorities laughed.
Earlier in the day, as soon as the Governor reached the district, nearly 200 DMK cadre showed black flags condemning the Governor. The opposition party in Tamil Nadu has been vocal in their criticism of the Governor, slamming him for interfering in the administrative affairs of the state. The cadre were detained by the police and taken to a wedding hall.