UP Home Secy gets shunted out after off-record statement on death is aired

The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday gave its top official marching orders following comments he made that were deemed insensitive. State Home Secretary RN Upadhyay was shunted out of the department and has been put on the waitlist until further posting. [caption id=“attachment_808857” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. PTI[/caption] On Tuesday, a man reportedly killed himself and his three children in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. During a routine briefing, when reporters asked Secretary RN Upadhyaya about the motive behind the Sonbhadra incident, he quoted Gautam Buddha and said he had a firm belief in his teachings. Indian Express reports that Upadhyay asked cameramen to turn off their cameras and he then related a story off the record. “After renouncing his kingdom, Buddha was trying to find the reasons of death. First, he reached the conclusion that a person died due to disease. Later, Buddha said that old age was the reason of death. Finally, Buddha reached conclusion that birth was the reason of death. If you are born then one day you have to die”, he said before laughing out. A section of media channels who captured the footage aired it out on television following which Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav reportedly asked for a report on the matter. Later in the day the Chief Secretary’s office issued a press note mentioning that Upadhyay has been transferred.   Speaking to Hindustan Times, Upadhyay said he was shocked about his transfer and said he would be more careful about speaking to the press again. “My comment was carried out of proportion by the electronic channel. I am shocked the way the channel distorted my comment and flashed it with the killing in Ghaziabad. I am repenting over my comment and in future I would be conscious while speaking to the media,” he said.