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Odisha minister Yogendra Behara couldn’t buckle his own sandals at an Independence Day event in Kendujhar on Monday, so he made his personal security officer bend down and do it for him.
When asked about the misuse of power, the minister seemed surprised at the fuss, saying, “I am a VIP.”
“Well, I have hoisted the flag, he (the personal security officer) did not,” explained Odisha’s state’s minister for micro, small and medium enterprise, after local television channels aired footage of the shoe incident.
There were hundreds of people present at the function, when the security officer bent over and strapped the shoes of Behera, the chief guest. The minister, dressed in white kurta pyjama, stood looking the other way, clearly expecting the favour.
This isn’t the first time an Indian politician has stooped -- not literally -- to this level.
In May 2015, the then West Bengal planning and implementation minister Rachpal Singh was caught on camera getting his shoelaces tied by a policeman.
In a 2014 incident, a departmental probe was ordered against then DIG Jammu-Kathua range Shakeel Baig after he was seen making an orderly tie his shoelaces. The DIG’s son had proudly posted the picture on the internet.