( Munish Sood )
MANDI: The Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has initiated an inquiry following a complaint about an audio played in one of its buses allegedly defaming senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
The incident came to light after a complaint was submitted to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), prompting the transport corporation to take action.
The incident occurred on November 1 when an HRTC bus from the Dhalli Depot (registration number HP63CC-5134) was operating on the Shimla-Sanjauli route. According to the complaint, an audio clip was played on the bus, purportedly defaming political figures, including Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and Tejashwi Yadav.
The complainant alleged that it was inappropriate to play such politically charged content in a public vehicle. The responsibility to prevent such activities, the complaint added, lay with the bus staff.
Driver, conductor issue clarification
Following the complaint, notices were issued to bus driver Tek Raj and conductor Shesh Ram, seeking their explanation. In their response, both denied any involvement, stating that neither had they played such an audio clip nor observed any passenger doing so.
HRTC-Shimla Regional Manager Vinod Kumar clarified that playing any form of audio content in buses is prohibited. Based on the complaint, an investigation had been initiated and statements from the driver and conductor recorded.
Why the audio raises concerns
Playing content against political leaders in public transport violates both ethical standards and the code of conduct governing state-owned vehicles. This incident highlights the need for HRTC staff to be vigilant about passenger activities during bus operations.
The HRTC management has stated that appropriate action will be taken against those found guilty after the inquiry concludes. This could include penalties for either the bus staff or passengers responsible for the incident.
