UP IAS officer sells vegetables, leaves netizens divided

Lucknow: It could have been a major story – one filled with connotations and political overtones – that could have spurred the opposition into action. However, timely clarification issued by the officer concerned put an end to the “controversy”.

A photograph of Akhilesh Mishra, an IAS officer from Uttar Pradesh, reportedly selling vegetables went viral on social media. Mishra is currently posted as the Special Secretary in the Transport Department.

The photo was posted on Mishra’s Facebook account from where it was widely circulated across social media platforms.

In the picture, he can be seen seated on what looks like a sack at a roadside vegetable stall. The stall seems to be located in a busy market as other vegetable sellers and customers can also be seen.

As soon as the photograph went viral, netizens started jumping to conclusions. One claimed that Mishra was given a side posting which made him sell vegetables instead while others insisted that he was doing this to embarrass the state government.

However, the officer lost no time in issuing a clarification.

“I was on a visit to Prayagraj for some official work and on my way back, I stopped to buy vegetables. In the meantime, the vegetable vendor, an old lady, requested me to look after her shop saying she would be back in a moment as her child had strolled away,” he said.

The officer further said: “Just as I sat down at her shop, a customer and the seller came. One of my friends took the photo and put it on my Facebook account from my phone.”

The storm that was brewing in a vegetable shop was stopped and most netizens withdrew their remarks.